KUALA LUMPUR – Two former Felcra Bhd chairmen, Datuk Seri Tajuddin Abdul Rahman and Datuk Seri Bung Moktar Radin, will be called to the Public Accounts Committee’s (PAC) proceeding on Monday.
PAC chairman Datuk Mas Ermieyati Samsudin said the pair were called to clarify and explain on Felcra issues raised in the Auditor-General’s Report 2021 Series 2: Management of Federal Government Companies.
“PAC had also conducted three proceedings on Felcra Bhd on June 27, 2023, July 6, 2023 and August 23, 2023,” she said at a media conference in Parliament today after chairing the proceeding on Covid-19 Outbreak Management : disposal of expired vaccines, faulty ventilators and excess personal protective equipment.
The third proceeding today, which involved the issues, heard statements from the Health Ministry’s deputy secretary-general for finance, Datuk Seri Norazman Ayob; Pharmaniaga chair Izaddeen Daud; and Pharmaniaga director Ahmad Shahredzuan Mohd Shariff.
Mas Ermieyati made the comments after hearing witness statements in today’s proceeding by former transport minister Datuk Seri Wee Ka Siong while the Health Ministry’s former secretary-general, Datuk Seri Dr Chen Chaw Min, will be called next Thursday.
“PAC needs a statement and explanation from Wee since his name was mentioned in the previous proceedings and to be fair to him, PAC will listen to his explanation,” she said, adding that summons to these witnesses will be issued today.
In addition, Mas Ermieyati said two reports on the progress of the littoral combat ships (LCS) project and a report on the rice industry management concession are expected to be presented in the first week of the third meeting of this Parliament session.
She said the progress report on the LCS project for the Royal Malaysian Navy for the period from October 2022 to May 2023; and the Report on Receipt and Payment of Beras Negara and Rice Industry Management Concession Agreement has been finalised by the PAC so far.
“The 15th parliamentary PAC will be briefed every three months from the Defence Ministry regarding the progress of the LCS ships. Accordingly, PAC will call the Defence Ministry on October 3 to seek an explanation regarding the progress of the LCS construction project for June until August 2023,” she said.
Meanwhile, Mas Ermieyati said the committee also asked the government to speed up the process of declassifying the report of the government governance, procurement and finance investigation committee regarding the Land Exchange Project under the Defence Ministry.
“After the (committee’s) land transfer report is declassified, the PAC will start proceedings regarding this issue to enable the people to know the truth,” she said, adding that the investigation committee had presented the report to the PAC of the previous Parliament on April 2, 2019 and November 16, 2020.
Mas Ermieyati said the committee also agreed to start proceedings on the Human Resources Development Fund, which is expected to start in the second week and third meeting of this Parliament session. – September 14, 2023