PAC hearings to be aired live after Standing Orders amended

The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) hearings will be aired live after amendments to Parliament's Standing Orders are passed, according to its chairperson Noraini Ahmad.

English daily The Star quoted Noraini as saying that the PAC had written to Dewan Rakyat Speaker Mohamad Ariff Md Yusof for live coverage of the committee’s hearings on its reports and recommendations.

"The Speaker is keen on seeing such reforms,” the Parit Sulong MP was quoted as saying.

"The proposal must be tabled and passed in Parliament.

"However, I don’t expect the changes to be done in the coming Parliament session next month, as it requires time,” she added.

According to The Star, Mohamad Ariff confirmed amendments to Standing Order 85 were being drafted.

However, he did not specify when the amendments would be brought before lawmakers.

According to the report, Noraini's predecessor Ronald Kiandee, who vacated the post on April 4, confirmed that he had written to Mohamad Ariff in December last year about the proposal to air PAC proceedings live.

In 2015, then Dewan Rakyat Speaker Pandikar Amin Mulia had cited restrictions under Standing Order 85 in response to calls to broadcast the PAC 1MDB hearing live on television, despite its chairperson Nur Jazlan Mohamed stating he had no qualms about the proposal.

Standing Order 85 states that any evidence presented to the committee shall not be published before its report is tabled in Parliament.

'Milestone for PAC'

Meanwhile, The Star also quoted Noraini as describing the upcoming Parliament session as a milestone for the PAC.

"Previously, PAC only gave its recommendations to the government after scrutinising the auditor-general’s annual reports.

"Next month will be the first time that the government has to show PAC what action it has taken on its recommendations," she said.

The first series of the Auditor-General’s Report 2018 will be tabled at the next Dewan Rakyat sitting, which begins on July 1.