The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) is empowered to send for Works Minister S Samy Vellu to explain details of compensation for the cancelled half-bridge to Singapore.

Deputy chairperson Dr Tan Seng Giaw pointed out that Article 77 of the parliamentary Standing Order allows the PAC to send for persons, papers, records and even the works minister himself.

"The claims committee must decide whether the amount of compensation is RM100 million. We do not have to accept Samy Vellu's written answers," he said in a rejoinder to the minister's ascerbic comments yesterday.

Samy Vellu had accused the PAC of meddling in the ministry's affairs and had even told PAC chairperson Shahrir Abdul Samad to take over as works minister.

The half-bridge integrated project was cancelled on April 12, but with compensation to be awarded to the contractor.