The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) should summon Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak to its Eurocopter hearing and not just call up civil servants as he is the Defence Minister at the time of the critical decision-making before the ministerial swap with Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi on Sept. 17 and who must bear final responsibility to Parliament for the Eurocopter deal.
The PAC postponed its second-day inquiry into the Eurcopter deal on Thursday because the Finance Ministry secretary-general Tan Sri Dr. Wan Abdul Aziz Wan Abdullah did not turn up to testify.
The PAC is right in demanding that the highest-ranking officer from the Finance Ministry should appear before it to testify, and Wan Abdul Aziz is setting a bad example of civil service leadership and guilty of contempt of Parliament in claiming that he was “busy with other duties”!
What is the nature of Wan Abdul Aziz’s “busy with other duties” that he is prepared to commit parliamentary contempt by not appearing before the PAC when summoned?
However, why is the PAC not summoning Najib to testify and justify the extraordinary billion-ringgit 12 Cougar EC725 Eurocopters procurement – as in other “first-world Commonwealth Parliaments”, the appearance of the Minister concerned would have been the first item of such PAC inquiry?!
Is this another illustration why having a former Cabinet Minister to chair the PAC is most unsuitable, for it would be completely unthinkable for a political junior who had been used to taking orders from the Deputy Prime Minister for the past five years (and with Najib poised to become Primer Minister in another five months) to summon his superior to appear before the PAC to give an account of his stewardship of the Defence Ministry over the controversial Eurocopter procurement!
If the PAC had been headed by a senior Opposition parliamentarian, there would be no such qualms and self-denying limitations, and Najib would be put to the test as to whether he fully believes in the concept of parliamentary democracy in responding positively to any PAC call to testify before it.
The PAC Chairman Datuk Azmi Khalid should not be browbeaten or influenced by both the Prime Minister and Deputy Prime Minister who had clearly hinted that the PAC should not create waves in its inquiry, as Abdullah has dismissed the three sets of different pricing for the Eurocopter deal given by the government as “academic” while Najib has sought to ridicule the Opposition for “making a meal” of the Eurocopter procurement.
The PAC inquiry into the Eurocopter deal is neither “academic” nor “making a meal” for two important reasons:
1. The Eurocopter deal raises very grave issues about propriety, accountability and professionalism in the decision-making process, whether at the technical, off-set or price stages, especially when it is now established that the government had not conducted physical and specification inspections of the three short-listed aircrafts – the Cougar EC725, Sikorsky S92 and AgustaWestlands AW101.
Najib should appear before the PAC fully armed to justify the procurement of the Eurocopters without any physical evaluation and test flights, citing previous instances in Defence Ministry of such exemptions or even cases of other governments buying billion-ringgit aircrafts without any test-flight.
Otherwise, how is Najib to rebut serious charges that the Defence Ministry had acted in a most irresponsible manner in the procurement process in trifling with the lives and safety of RMAF personnel who would have to use the new helicopters?
2. As Abdullah said that the price would be renegotiated again when the government finally decides to purchase the helicopters, the implication is very clear: the choice is still the Eurocopters! This makes all the preceding transactions in the helicopter tender, in particular on technical, offset and price, all very relevant, as well as warranting a full explanation from Najib as to why the government is “locked in” to the Eurocopter offer in future instead of calling a completely new international tender open to all interested aircraft manufacturers.
#1 by max2811 on Saturday, 1 November 2008 - 9:55 am
Don’t you know why this Minister was selected as the chairman of PAC? Very obvious that UMNO uses these ppl to cover their butts. Same goes to the judiciary. You can say or provide whatever evidence. Not enough to have a case will be the answer. Abang-adik syndrome.
#2 by All For The Road on Saturday, 1 November 2008 - 10:00 am
The set-up of the PAC should be totally revamped so that it is seen to be more transparent and accountable. The present head of PAC is from UMNO though there are opposition MPs sitting in the committee. But do these opposition MPs play any significant role and have they any dominant say? Anyway, the boss being from the ruling BN will have a final say. Don’t you think so? As Senior Parlimentarian YB LKS suggested, a senior opposition MP should head the PAC so that the committee would have more clout and accountability. Any taker?
#3 by taiking on Saturday, 1 November 2008 - 10:18 am
Najib’s replies if he ever attends would be predictable:
(1) procedures followed;
(2) claim secrecy – military matters = national security = secret
(3) denials;
(4) claim no knowledge;
(5) shift blame to subordinates.
#4 by Jeffrey on Saturday, 1 November 2008 - 10:33 am
If one goes stictly by constitutional logic of accountability and responsibility, then a Minister like Najib would be answerable and account to Parliament via the Public Accounts Committee (“PAC”) for policy decisions made during his time on the “extraordinary billion-ringgit 12 Cougar EC725 Eurocopters procurement” more than the highest-ranking officer from the Finance Ministry, who being not an elected official, is actually more accountable directly to the Minister of Finance than Parliament as the people’s representatives.
If one goes stictly by constitutional logic of accountability and responsibility, then the PAC of Parliament should be “independent” and be headed and chaired by an Opposition senior member who is less likely to be diffident in summoning a senior Minister to account before it than (say) a former BN Cabinet Minister who being used to taking orders from a more senior minister for the past five years will be less than keen to summon his political superior to appear, testify and give an account before the PAC chaired by him…..
If one adheres by constitutional logic of accountability and responsibilty, one would respect the PAC and answer its summon unlike what the Finance Ministry’s officer (Wan Abdul Aziz) did, excusing himself by reason of “busy with other duties” as if these duties are of greater priority than accountability and responsibilty to the rakyat via Parliament!
Nobody of course here bothers about constitutional logic of accountability and responsibility. It is just a word to give lip service to.
Before one talks of constitutional logic of accountability and responsibility in respect of Ministers, even something as basic as an independent judiciary to ensure and mete justice to all – so important for sanctity of, and respect for the administration of justice by rakyat and investors alike – is not attributed much importance by our politicians here.
I refer in particular to Zaid Ibrahim’s singling out of Mukhriz Mahathir (a likely potential UMNO Youth head) for criticism in LawAsia 2008 conference in Kuala Lumpur, where according to Malaysiakini report Oct 31st (under the title of “Zaid: Ketuanan Melayu has failed”, Zaid (to quote report) “referred to the recent remarks made by the son of former premier Dr Mahathir Mohamad that there was no need for law and judicial reforms as it would not benefit the Malays”. Zaid further said “that the Umno Youth chief aspirant typifies what is perceived as the kind of Umno leader who appeals to the right-wing of Malay polity”.
I mean if people don’t care of basic like for law and judicial reforms, saying that they would not be beneficial to a certain section, would they go further to be concerned with the strict principle of Ministerial accountability and responsibility to Parliament ???
On ground level of politics, concepts like Judiciary’s independence and Ministerial accountability and responsibility to Parliament are given but only lip service – they are like foreign concepts imported from another place and another time not relevant to the feudal political culture that is subsisting with full force and effect, unabated, here.
What YB Kit exhorts here is obviously not at sync or in same wave length with the thoughts language and beliefs of those to whom he addresses his call.
#5 by bennylohstocks on Saturday, 1 November 2008 - 10:44 am
IT’S OFF!
#6 by monsterball on Saturday, 1 November 2008 - 10:44 am
I have a strange feeling…Lim Kit Siang will ignore the Atantuya murder case verdict….as he and most educated Malaysians knew…this is the most ridiculous political trial…ever seen in Malaysia.
Sooooo same day….15 sen petrol deduction and more to come….very two weeks….making sure ordinary Malaysians are happy.
That’s UMNO style of cover ups upon cover ups for ages.
One Razak freed…good for him…but guilty one….not summon to court.
Altanuiya knew two Razaks from Malaysia…no one else.
Malaysia legal system…is truly half past six and full of corruptions too.
#7 by wanderer on Saturday, 1 November 2008 - 10:54 am
I have no wish to degrade PAC inquiry but, if past inquiries will to be used as a guide, no fruitful result will surface.,,especially when top leaders are involved.
Any inquiries are useful, if improvements are made from past mistakes…especially, in the purchasing system. We are engaged in a different meaning and purpose for this excercise…just a waste of taxpayers’ money. With UMNO in power expecting changes will see the sun rising from the West.
#8 by Kasim Amat on Saturday, 1 November 2008 - 10:59 am
What power does PAC has to summon the Deputy Prime Minister? Lim Kit Siang keeps making noise on some peanut issues regarding the Eurocopter deal and all his attention is the lead people to believe that Datuk Seri Najib Razak is not fit to be the next PM. This is all his objectives. If you think there are dirty tricks in the deal, try making a police report? Lim Kit Siang has no rights to question the job scope of PAC and it is up to PAC to do decide what to do next. It is very obvious that LKS is having a hidden agenda. All he wants to do is to cause damage to the integrity of the government so that the opposition can win in the next election? I urge PAC do not fall into the trap of Lim Kit Siang. PAC should not be involved in matters they are not supposed to and should do what they are assigned to do.
#9 by Cinapek on Saturday, 1 November 2008 - 11:06 am
“…The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) should summon Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak to its Eurocopter hearing …….”
Absolutely.
Since this matter happened during his watch, he should be held answerable. In the Little Red Dot across the Johor Straits, the DPM was hauled before Parliament and subjected to a grilling widely viewed on TV to explain why the terrorist Mat Selamat escaped from custody. The DPM was in charge of the ministry responsible for internal security. This is a culture of responsibility. Compare that with Malaysia where such culture are non existent. If that culture is practised at the very top, it will spread across the entire Executive. The reverse is true if the top avoids responsibilites and the rest behaves likewise as “monkey see, monkey do”
#10 by CSKUEH on Saturday, 1 November 2008 - 11:06 am
Tau Chiew Liao Liao Si Kaki Nang
#11 by Mr Smith on Saturday, 1 November 2008 - 11:20 am
This BN government is a den of thieves. They cover one another. I believe Finance Ministry secretary-general Tan Sri Dr. Wan Abdul Aziz Wan Abdullah, was ordered by his boss to give some excuse to stay from the injuiry.
He has got his priorities wrong but with protection from his boss, who cares about Parliament.
#12 by Damocles on Saturday, 1 November 2008 - 11:38 am
As Senior Parlimentarian YB LKS suggested, a senior opposition MP should head the PAC so that the committee would have more clout and accountability. Any taker? – All for the road
It’s not a matter of having any taker.
PAC is just a lot of hogwash. Why should the BN or for that matter UMNO want the opposition to have any say in the way the government conducts its business?
That attitude has been all encompassing ever since they have been running the country.
Why should they change anything to make things easy for the opposition?
If we want change, we must change the government!
That’s the one and only way!
#13 by Jong on Saturday, 1 November 2008 - 12:18 pm
Let not this scumbag Najis get away with murder again!
#14 by voice on Saturday, 1 November 2008 - 1:24 pm
No way la, how can a loyal slave summon his master?
#15 by k1980 on Saturday, 1 November 2008 - 1:28 pm
Economic forecast for Singapore 2009–
“Growth for 2009 is at best zero and growth for 2010 is likely to remain low. Recovery to a potential GDP growth of 5 per cent is likely only in 2011.”
… and Malaysia is immune as claimed?
#16 by HJ Angus on Saturday, 1 November 2008 - 1:42 pm
While we do not expect the PAC to take the correct action to summon anyone like the PM or DPM to testify, we should not be discouraged. (In the USA, even the President can be summoned to testify before committees)
The struggle to regain our freedom is a long and arduous one and we should keep up the good fight.
http://malaysiawatch4.blogspot.com/2008/10/malaysiakini-and-eurocopter-test-flight.html
#17 by hadi on Saturday, 1 November 2008 - 1:54 pm
Someone is culpable. That is the more reason Najib must testify to PAC.
As it is now very clear that the procedures of procurement is not adhered to, so somebody must answer for it.
There is definitely a need to look at the flow of the whole process. I can only think that if the gvtment is sincere then they cannot simply brush aside the concerns raised by the opposition in the interest of the nation.
But their reactions and the way they responded is making the people more convince that the government is trying to hide something.
One thing for sure they will not want this issue to be opened as there are a lot more skeletons in the closets.
Despite the revelation by the deputy minister in parliament and yet they still try to defend everything is ok. The gvtment is lying to the public. Don’t they know that there are many people who know what is going on, may be they can tell this cock story to orang ulu. Sorry for Malaysia and can we thrust them to defend our nation?. Move on YB Kit, till we get the truth.
#18 by Jan on Saturday, 1 November 2008 - 1:56 pm
…why is the PAC not summoning Najib to testify.
———————-
They won’t risk Najib being torn to pieces in the enquiry like they did to Seman. There’s no way anybody can justify trying to buy helicopters at such inflated prices. Moreover Najib is not the most articulate person in the world and could expose more dirt than they bargain for.
#19 by Tonberry on Saturday, 1 November 2008 - 3:15 pm
In Bolehland, the PM & DPM are sacred people. Even the court also afraid to subpoena them. Recently a DPM, called Mr C4, showed how a kangaroo court in Bolehland functioned.
#20 by yhsiew on Saturday, 1 November 2008 - 6:00 pm
ACA Begins Probe Into Copter Purchase Deal
http://www.bernama.com/bernama/v5/newsgeneral.php?id=368662
====================================================
I doubt if ACA has the capability of probing into the deal. ACA is powerless when facing high-profile politicians.
#21 by undergrad2 on Sunday, 2 November 2008 - 3:40 am
“All he wants to do is to cause damage to the integrity of the government ..” Kasian Amat
You cannot do damage to something that is not there to begin with.
#22 by shortie kiasu on Sunday, 2 November 2008 - 1:25 pm
“The PAC is right in demanding that the highest-ranking officer from the Finance Ministry should appear before it to testify, and Wan Abdul Aziz is setting a bad example of civil service leadership and guilty of contempt of Parliament in claiming that he was “busy with other duties””.
Really a lame excuse meant only for the ‘office boys’ to utter, not to be uttered by a government on “staff scale” (Sper-super scale)of salary and perks.
We hope to see some action by the chief secreatry to the government, because he has been championing efficiency and meritocracy in the civil service all these whiles.
Keep our fingers crossed, and see Najib volunteers to give himself to the investigation by the PAC ASAP.
#23 by human1 on Sunday, 2 November 2008 - 3:51 pm
Najib knows PAC is unlikely to summon him. Najib has always taken lightly the criticism from opposition.
Remember the infamous “crash” joke in the ministry portfolio swap, quoted Najib in an online news portal, “And when they ask which is worse, a plane crash or a market crash, I would say that a market crash is worse because the people are still alive,” he said to more laughter.
My condolence to the family of the servicemen and servicewomen who had died in the Nuri crash incidents in the past.