KUALA LUMPUR: The 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB) probe will continue as scheduled as the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) has enough members to hold the meeting, said PAC's deputy chairman Dr Tan Seng Giaw today.
He said under the Parliament Standing Order, it states that only four members needed to hold a meeting.
Standing order 83 (3) reads: Unless the House otherwise directs, three members including Chairman shall be the quorum. The chairman refers to the member chairing the meeting.
"Even though four PAC members have been appointed to the Cabinet, the PAC meetings will continue because we have enough quorum, with nine members," he said during a press conference at the Parliament house today.
Out of the nine members, four are from Barisan Nasional.
Also present during the press conference were two other PAC members, Tumpat Member of Parliament Datuk Kamaruddin Jaffar and William Leong.
From August 4 to 6, PAC is expected to meet 1MDB former CEO Datuk Shahrul Halmi (Aug 4), followed by the present President and Group Executive Director Arul Kanda Kandasamy the next day.
On Aug 6, the PAC members will meet former 1MDB CEO Mohd Hazem Abdul Rahman.
Tan was responding to PAC former Chairman and newly appointed Deputy Home Minister Datuk Nur Jazlan Mohamed, who said yesterday that all proceedings that had been arranged for August, including 1MDB will be postponed until the new PAC line-up is announced at the next Dewan Rakyat sitting scheduled in October.
Tan said since Nur Jazlan is no longer the PAC chairman, he cannot make a decision on the meetings that has been scheduled.
"Nur Jazlan automatically lost his membership after he was appointed as deputy minister," he said.
Meanwhile, Leong said those who fail to attend the meetings can be charged for Contempt of Parliament. Under the Parliament Privileges Act, those summoned have to turn up. "Or they can be fined or jailed similar to contempt of court," he said.
"Circulars summoning other PAC members have also been sent to attend the hearing", said Leong.
Apart from Nur Jazlan, other members appointed into the Cabinet include Datuk Seri Reezal Merican Naina Merican, Datuk Mas Ermieyati Samsudin and Datuk Wilfred Madius Tangau.
The remaining members from Barisan Nasional are Kulim Bandar Baru MP Datuk Abd Aziz Sheikh Fadzir, Simpang Renggam MP Datuk Liang Teck Meng, Limbang MP Hasbi Habibollah, and Tanjung Piai MP Datuk Wee Jeck Seng.