Does Zambry or Nizar get the MB's pay?

IPOH, Feb 28, 2009 — Malaysianinsider

The Perak Public Accounts Committee (PAC) will open investigations to determine whether the salaries and perks should be paid to the Barisan Nasional menteri besar and executive councilors or those from the Pakatan Rakyat.

The inquiry will begin next Thursday and also look into the purpose and benefit of the recent appointments of three advisors to Menteri Besar Datuk Dr Zambry Kadir and one information chief, all with executive councillor status.

Perak PAC chairman Wong Kah Woh said that in view of the tug-of-war game between the two coalitions over who should helm the state, the committee needed to ensure that funds disbursed to whichever parties were “justifiable”.

On the appointments of the four with exco status, namely Datuk Chang Ko Youn (Chinese affairs), Datuk S. Veerasingam (Indian affairs), Kpt (Rtd) Datuk Mohd Najmuddin Elias Al-Hafiz (Religious affairs) and state information chief Datuk Hamdi Abu Bakar, Wong said:

“We want to know what laws were used in making the appointments, the rationale and purpose of the appointments, what wages, allowances and others would these appointees receive, and what are the benefits of their appointments.”

Wong added that while the committee was not out to point fingers at who was right or wrong in this constitutional crisis, it needed to ensure that public funds were not put into the wrong hands.

We will not question who is right and wrong in this matter.

“As a committee formed under Standing Order 70, the PAC has the responsibility of ensuring that all funds paid during this crisis is fair and in accordance to laws and procedures,” he told reporters in a press conference at the State Secretariat here yesterday.

“We will seek an explanation from all parties before we decide on our next course of action,” he said.

Wong said that the PAC may also summon State Legal Advisor Datuk Ahmad Kamal Md Shahid, State Secretary Datuk Dr Abdul Rahman Hashim and State Financial Officer Datuk Jamalludin Al Amini Ahmad to attend the inquiry.

Wong said the PAC would make recommendations to the state financial department and the state assembly.

“They have an obligation to consider our recommendations,” he said.

The PAC has seven members, with five from PR and two from BN.