I refer to the ranting of a lawmaker, 'YB, stop trying to get yourself sacked from PAC Read'.

Many in Malaysia, especially government lawmakers do not really understand the function of Parliament’s Public Accounts Committee (PAC). The big giveaway is the word ‘Public’ in PAC; it is not meant to be private and is normally opened to the public.

Government jalra comedians are ignorant or intentionally misleading the public when they claim PAC members must be neutral and should not comment. Utter codswallop.

The PAC is meant to be bipartisan, i.e. include representative from all parties, including the opposition, but it is never meant to be impartial such as a court of law.

The PAC, by its very nature as a check and balance of government shenanigans, serves as the voice of the public and good governance.

Refer to the good practice from UK parliament here and here .

Also, refer to the many inquiries and published reports here and here .

In fact, protocol and convention mandates that the head of PAC be someone from the opposition and not someone who only ‘cari makan’ .

The very nature of the function of PAC means that it must be inquisitive, confrontational and sceptical of those who appear before it to give evidence, although it is not a court of law, those called to give evidence can bring their lawyer.

PAC members who publically sway those who appear before it, especially those who seek to pull the wool over the eyes of PAC and therefore the public, deserve to be shredded to pieces.

PAC role’s is not to be cheerleaders to those who appear before it and definitely PAC’s role is not to be apologetic. In return, government and opposition members as well as the public can criticise PAC members if they don’t perform their role properly or take the easy way out by just turning up and asking about the weather .

Charade to fill up the quota

I digress but I remember in an audit committee meeting that I attended for a company, the audit committee chairperson and the company chairperson spent the major portion of the session talking about their sons’ education in UK as well as how the nasi lemak Kampung Baru is the best in the world. We don’t want our PAC to be such a charade just to fill up the quota.

The American equivalent of the PAC which is their Senate Select Committee is even more aggressive. They poke into all of American business and there are various different committees for various sectors and at times its proceedings are televised. Scenes that appear in movies are common.

In fact the US congress must approve the president’s choice for cabinet position and candidates are grilled like well-done satay before their nominations are approved, and sometimes nominations are not approved if some holes or black mark appear in the candidate’s history or record. This process ensure that comedians and half-past-nine recalcitrant and clueless dudes don’t take up posts in the the highest offices in the land.

If you were to ask me, it looks like Tony Pua, and Tony Pua alone, is properly undertaking his PAC role, the rest are just making up the numbers.