PAC to begin HRD Corp hearings on Oct 23

KUALA LUMPUR: The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) is set to begin its proceedings on HRD Corp’s training programmes and management of funds on Monday (Oct 23).

“This issue was not reported in the National Audit Report, hence PAC is invoking its powers under Standing Order 77(1)(d) of the Dewan Rakyat to hold these proceedings,” PAC chairman Datuk Mas Ermieyati Samsudin.

She said this at a press conference in Parliament on Thursday (Oct 19), adding that HRD Corp chief executive officer Datuk Shahul Dawood and deputy secretary-general (Policy and International) Datuk Amran Ahmad will be called to testify as witnesses.

On another matter, Mas Ermieyati said the proceedings on Felcra Bhd scheduled to begin on Wednesday (Oct 18) had been postponed as WZR Property Sdn Bhd managing director Datuk Wan Nadzir Wan Mohamad was overseas and could not attend.

“To be fair to him and his company, PAC would require a statement and explanation from Datuk Wan Nadzir as he was involved in the matter that is being investigated by the PAC,” she said.

“Therefore, I would like to summon the witness to come forward and assist PAC with its investigations,” she added.

On Sept 15, Mas Ermieyati said former Felcra Bhd chairmen Datuk Seri Tajuddin Abdul Rahman and Datuk Seri Bung Moktar Radin will also be called to appear before the PAC.

“The PAC will be calling them to provide an explanation of the issue related to Felcra in the Auditor-General’s Report 2021 Series 2 on management of a Federal Government company,” she had said.

Tajuddin was Felcra chairman between 2008 and 2013 while Bung headed the government-owned company from 2013 to 2018.

The Auditor-General’s Report 2021 Series 2 had stated that Felcra’s debt arrears amounted to RM312.22mil as of Dec 31, 2021, up from RM82mil in the preceding year.

It also found that Felcra owed the government RM3.67bil as at that date.