THE Public Accounts Committee has filed a motion to suspend a rule that prevents it from opening proceedings to the public, deputy chairman Wong Kah Woh said.

The PAC wants its proceedings to be open to the public but faces legal impediments, he told reporters in Parliament today.

However, Wong said, it is taking steps to change this and is discussing the matter with Parliament officials.

“For now, we are tied to Order 85 (of the Standing Orders) that prevents us from opening proceedings to the public.

“Yesterday, I filed a motion in Parliament so that Order 85 can be suspended, so all proceedings can be open,” Wong said.

“We know many have asked us if we can open the proceedings to the public or to the media. In fact, the chairman (Ronald Kiandee) and myself are studying how this can be done, without jeopardising matters of secrecy,” he added.

Wong said that the committee also faced restrictions under Section 9 of the Parliamentary Rights and Privileges Act, which prohibits any reports of the committee or evidence to be made public.

He said that making the proceedings public was a step forward in having a world-class parliamentary system.

The PAC is to start fresh hearings on Monday into 1Malaysia Development Bhd by calling former auditor-general Ambrin Buang.

Under the previous government, the PAC which was then chaired by Hasan Arifin, found that former prime minister and finance minister Najib Razak had no wrongdoing in 1MDB.

After the change in government, the Dewan Rakyat approved a motion in August to reopen the PAC’s investigations into the state investment fund. – October 23, 2018.