KUALA LUMPUR – The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) has welcomed the cabinet’s plan to heed its key recommendations to declassify reports related to the government’s procurement of six littoral combat ships (LCS).
However, PAC chairman Wong Kah Woh warned the government against redacting key information, similar to what it did with a report on the procurement and management of the road traffic automatic enforcement system (AES).
The AES report, which was published last week, had several names censored, including those of ministers and companies.
In a statement today, Wong stressed that any decision to declassify the LCS reports by the Prime Minister’s Department’s Special Committee on Governance Investigation, Government Procurement and Finance (JKSTUPKK) and the forensic audit should be done in full.
“It shouldn’t be like what happened with the JKSTUPKK report related to the AES project, where much information was blacked out in the name of ‘protecting the interests of the government’,” he said.
Wong’s statement follows Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob’s announcement earlier today that the government has agreed to declassify the JKSTUPKK and forensic audit reports of the LCS project.
Ismail Sabri had said that the government will however have to seek the advice and views of the attorney-general and auditor-general before proceeding.
According to Wong, the plan is in line with the PAC’s previous recommendations to declassify the JKSTUPKK report as well to act on the forensic audit and its own reports immediately.
“The proactive decision by the cabinet on the PAC’s recommendation proves the importance of the effort taken by this committee in ensuring that all government procedures and financial procurement are heeded.
“It also proves that the legislative branch can play an important role in the check and balance of the executive branch in a healthy parliamentary democratic system.
“The PAC will continue to monitor the compliance and implementation of the other recommendations included in our report on the LCS procurement.” – The Vibes, August 10, 2022
