KUALA LUMPUR, June 17 - Datuk Seri Ahmad Said Hamdan’s failure to turn up in Parliament today has delayed the Public Accounts Committee’s (PAC) inquiry into the Port Klang Free Zone (PKFZ) debacle.
The delay has further knock on effects as the full report with appendices made up of official documents into the RM12.5 billion scandal will only be distributed to parliamentarians together with the PAC’s final findings into the matter.
The PAC was to have been briefed today on the MACC’s investigation into the scandal which has seen the initial cost of RM2 billion balloon up to RM7.5 billion with another RM5 billion expected to be incurred due to refinancing interests on its outstanding debts.
But PAC chairman Datuk Seri Azmi Khalid told reporters that he decided to postpone the briefing with the MACC to next Tuesday as chief commissioner Ahmad Said had failed to turn up for the briefing.
“The MACC had sent its investigation director Datuk Mohd Shukri Abdull to attend the meeting but PAC cannot proceed with authority without the MACC chief present and he must appear before the PAC,” he added.
Azmi had also fended off an attempt to force him to withdraw from the PKFZ inquiry as called for by DAP parliamentary leader Lim Kit Siang.
Lim had written a letter to Azmi asking him to step down because it would be a conflict of interest as the latter was a Cabinet minister between 2004 and 2008.
In that period, the Cabinet took various decisions on the issue including the retrospective approval of the four letters of support issued by former transport ministers, Tun Dr Ling Liong Sik and Tan Sri Chan Kong Choy which allowed turnkey developer Kuala Dimensi to raise RM4 billion in bonds as well as an RM4.6 billion loan to refinance PKFZ’s debts in 2007.
The letters of support gave the appearance of government guarantees for the bonds but only the finance ministry is legally allowed to do so, calling into question the role of the two former MCA leaders.
Azmi claimed that he had conferred with all members of the PAC and the majority of including two opposition MPs disagreed with Lim’s request although he did not reveal who the two MPs were.
It is understood that DAP and PAC deputy chairman Tan Seng Giaw had been one of those who called for Azmi to step down as requested by Lim.
Azmi explained that he would be exposed in Parliament if he had not acted fairly as all discussions in PAC meetings are recorded and tabled to Parliament.
“So I have decided not to withdraw based on the opinion of my colleagues and on the fact that PAC does not have executive power except to ask relevant authorities to investigate the matter.
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