KUALA LUMPUR: Hearings of Parliament's Public Accounts Committee (PAC) can be made public but they must be done with caution, says former chairman Datuk Nur Jazlan Mohamed.
"It is good if proceedings are made open to the public but there must be a caveat because not all matters should be made public.
"There must be a compromise to allow certain statements to be made before the committee behind closed doors," he said when contacted Wednesday (April 5).
Nur Jazlan, who was PAC chairman between June 2013 and July 2015, said government officers testifying before PAC could request that the hearing be done off the record.
"I previously allowed the microphone to be turned off when requested by an officer and that his statement not be included in the Hansard.
"The officer was more candid in his answers when questioned on certain matters," he said.
Nur Jazlan also said some ministers might be reluctant to talk if proceedings are made public.
"There is a worry that what is said openly or broadcast live could be later edited and twisted for whatever reasons by certain parties.
"This is especially true nowadays when recordings of edited videos are made viral on social media," he added.
On Tuesday (April 4), Perikatan Nasional's Masjid Tanah MP Datuk Mas Ermieyati Samsudin was appointed to head the PAC, with Wong Shu Qi, the Kluang MP from Pakatan Harapan, as her deputy.
They both called on Dewan Rakyat Speaker Datuk Johari Abdul to amend the current Parliament standing orders to allow the public to attend its hearings.
The 12-member bipartisan PAC serves as an oversight body empowered to examine government finances and expenditure.
The PAC can call up ministers, the public, civil servants and other officials for questioning before a final report is tabled in Parliament.
Another former PAC chairman, Wong Kah Woh, said the idea to have open PAC hearing was mooted years ago but was never implemented.
"There was even a proposal for a live broadcast as early as 2016 but that too did not materialise.
"During my tenure, I had requested for a live broadcast with the Speaker and previous government but it did not happen," Wong said when contacted.
The Taiping MP, who chaired the PAC between August 2020 and October 2022, said the public will be able to see how ministers and government officers handle themselves on issues before the PAC if the hearings are made public.
"It is in line with the principle of transparency and right to information," he added.
Wong said there should not be any technical issues to have a live broadcast of proceedings as Parliament is already equipped for the task.
He noted that the presence of recordings in the Hansard will ensure what is said before the committee is not taken out of context and twisted by certain parties.
Meanwhile, former Dewan Rakyat deputy speaker Datuk Seri Dr Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar said it is possible to amend Dewan Rakyat's standing orders to allow PAC hearings to be made live and public.
He said Mas Ermieyati will have to make a formal request to Johari to amend the standing orders.
"The Speaker will then forward her proposal to the Standing Orders Committee, which he also chairs.
"If agreed, the amendment will be laid on the table of MPs without a need for a motion or debates," he said.
Standing Order 85 prevents the publication of any evidence or documents presented to the PAC before the committee's final report is tabled in the House.
However, Wan Junaidi, who is also a former minister in charge of law and Parliament, said matters touching on national security should still be heard behind closed doors.
