KUALA LUMPUR: The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) is hoping that its report on the progress of the Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) project will be debated when it is tabled in the Dewan Rakyat on Oct 9.
PAC chairman Datuk Mas Ermieyati Samsudin said the committee will be organising an official visit to the LCS project site in Lumut, Perak with Dewan Rakyat Speaker Tan Sri Johari Abdul on Oct 5 to seek clarification on the shipbuilding project's progress report under the Royal Malaysian Navy.
"As such, PAC hopes that Tan Sri Johari will consider allowing PAC's report on the progress of the LCS project to be debated in the Dewan Rakyat after it is tabled," she said in a statement today.
PAC had in its report tabled on August 4 last year, recommended that the Defence Ministry to provide a quarterly update on the status of the vessels.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim on May 27 said the government had to complete the project it had already spent RM6 billion on the vessels.
The Finance Ministry, via a special-purpose vehicle (SPV), had also taken over Boustead Naval Shipyard Sdn Bhd (BNS), the company in charge of the project.
Meanwhile, Mas Ermieyati, who is also Masjid Tanah member of parliament, said apart from the LCS progress report, PAC will also table three other reports during the Dewan Rakyat session set to take place from Oct 9 to Nov 30.
These include a report on the concession of the Paddy and Rice Industry under the Agriculture and Food Security Ministry; Covid-19 Outbreak Management Report: Expired Vaccines, Unusable and Surplus Personal Ventilator Equipment Protective Equipment; as well as a report on the Minister of Finance (Incorporated) — Felcra Bhd.
On the Covid-19 management issue, Mas Ermieyati said PAC today concluded its fourth proceeding after summoning several individuals.
They were Ayer Hitam member of parliament Datuk Seri Dr Wee Ka Siong; former Health Ministry Chief Secretary Datuk Seri Dr Chen Chaw Min; Health Ministry Division Secretary (Acquisition and Privatisation) Mohd Fauzee Abd Majid, who was representing the ministry's Deputy Chief Secretary (Finance) Datuk Seri Norazman Ayob; and former Pharmaniaga Bhd Managing Director Datuk Farshila Emran.
"PAC is satisfied with the cooperation extended by all witnesses and will include their explanations and statements in our report to be tabled in the Dewan Rakyat," she said.
She said as for the proceedings involving Minister of Finance (Incorporated) — Felcra Bhd, Mas Ermieyati said PAC has heard statements and explanations from two former Felcra chairmen, Datuk Seri Tajuddin Abdul Rahman and Datuk Seri Bung Moktar Raden on Sept 18.
This, she said, involved issues raised in the 2021 Auditor General's Report (Volume 2).
"PAC will organise subsequent proceedings on this issue to obtain statements and explanations from former Treasury Deputy Chief Secretary (Investment) Datuk Dr Mohmad Isa Hussain and from WZR Group, which was the contractor for Menara Semarak 20 owned by Felcra Bhd before we finalise the report," she said.