KUALA LUMPUR (July 16): The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) will launch four new proceedings involving issues flagged in the Auditor General's Report 2024, beginning later this month.

The proceedings will cover the national water management under the Ministry of Energy Transition and Water Transformation and the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environmental Sustainability starting on July 29 followed by the rural water supply projects in Sarawak and Sabah on July 30.

PAC will also look at Mara Incorporated Sdn Bhd (Mara Inc) under the supervision of the Ministry of Rural and Regional Development on July 31 and the National Professors Council, overseen by the Prime Minister's Department, on Aug 1.

The bipartisan parliamentary committee will also continue its examination of the National Paddy and Rice Industry Management on Aug 6 and the Armed Forces Fund Board (LTAT) proceedings on Aug 7, PAC chairperson Datuk Mas Ermieyati Samsudin said at a news conference on Tuesday.

For the upcoming proceedings on LTAT, the PAC has decided to call witnesses including the Minister of Defence Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin, former LTAT chairman Tan Sri Raja Mohamed Affandi Raha Mohamed Noor, former LTAT chief executive Datuk Ahmad Nazim Abd Rahman, as well as former LTAT senior director of strategy Dayana Rogayah Omar, Mas Ermieyati said.

Follow-ups on dilapidated schools

On Tuesday, the PAC also presented its report on the follow-up actions by the Education Ministry and the Public Works Department (JKR) over the recommendations on dilapidated schools.

Mas Ermieyati noted that PAC reviewed the actions taken by the ministry and agency in response to each recommendation and assessed the reasonableness and acceptability of the feedback.

However, the committee believes that more effort is needed, particularly from the Education Ministry and JKR, to accelerate development projects and upgrade dilapidated school buildings to achieve the goal of zero dilapidated school buildings.

PAC also advised the Education Ministry to intensify the verification process for data in the Education Management Information System.

PAC also suggested that the ministry consider “preventive measures to address issues with dilapidated school buildings, taking into account existing finances and allocations," Mas Ermieyati noted.

New PAC deputy chairperson

The Dewan Rakyat also passed a motion appointing Seputeh Member of Parliament (MP) Teresa Kok as the new deputy chairperson of the PAC. A six-term MP, she was also the Minister of Primary Industries under Pakatan Harapan administration led by Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad.

Kok replaces Kluang Member of Parliament Wong Shu Qi who was appointed as chairperson of the Talent Corporation Malaysia Bhd under the Ministry of Human Resources last month.

The PAC — mandated to examine finances of the federal government and statutory agencies — currently comprises three MPs each from DAP, Bersatu, Umno, and PKR, as well as two from PAS, and one from GPS.