He said the members of the PAC comprised five MPs from the Opposition parties and eight from among government backbenchers.
“As an entity of Parliament rather than the government, the PAC is able to conduct an independent investigation without any interference, hindrance and favouritism.
“It is answerable only to Parliament and, as such, answerable to the people.
“We can confirm that there is integrity and neutrality during PAC proceedings and there are no instances where the PAC is distracted or given instructions by any individual outside the gazetted process,” he said in an interview with Bernama here today.
There is a rigorous process to maintain integrity, balance, a balanced representation of political parties, and independence, he said.
“The chairman (from among government backbenchers) and deputy (from among the Opposition MPs) are appointed by way of a motion in Parliament by the prime minister which is debated in the Dewan Rakyat and approved by a majority vote,” he said.
Hasan said no one individual could appoint or dismiss the PAC members because this had to be done collectively by Parliament, which represented the people to put forth facts and the truth without favouritism.
Asked about the investigative powers of the PAC, he said the Dewan Rakyat Standing Orders established the powers of the PAC and the PAC held the responsibility to examine:
# the federal accounts and use of funds approved by Parliament to meet public expenditure,
# any account of public authorities or any body which administers public funds submitted before the Dewan Rakyat,
# the Report of the Auditor-General tabled by the Auditor-General in the Dewan Rakyat in accordance with Article 107 of the Federal Constitution, and,
# any arising issue which is felt needs to be addressed by the PAC or referred to the PAC by the Dewan Rakyat.
Hasan said it was important to state that the PAC was not a body of the executive, but an independent body not influenced in seeking the truth to present the facts to the people through Parliament.
Besides Hasan, the PAC members are vice-chairman Dr Tan Seng Giaw (DAP MP for Kepong), eight Barisan Nasional MPs, two PKR MPs and one MP each from DAP and PAS.
– BERNAMA