PETALING JAYA: The Parliamentary Select Committee (PSC) special meeting scheduled for tomorrow on the stock-trading controversy involving Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) chief commissioner Tan Sri Azam Baki (pic) has been postponed due to several legal issues.

       In a letter addressed to all MPs yesterday, Parliament secretary Dr Nizam Mydin Bacha Mydin said a new date for the meeting would be announced later.

       “The meeting scheduled on Wednesday will be postponed to a later date, as there are several legal issues that require legal opinions from the Parliament’s legal adviser’s office,” said the letter.

       Azam was initially scheduled to meet and be questioned by the nine-member PSC for agencies under the Prime Minister’s Department at 2pm tomorrow.

       In an immediate response, four of the nine PSC members said Azam had declined to appear before the PSC and the action is contempt of Parliament.

       The four – Sepanggar MP Datuk Azis Jamman, Kota Kinabalu MP Chan Foong Hin, Kota Melaka MP Khoo Poay Tiong and Selayang MP William Leong – said it was unacceptable for Azam to decline to testify before the PSC.

       The PSC’s duties are to determine effective mechanisms for investigations and disciplinary action, they said in a statement.

       “Aside from that, the Parliament’s prerogative to summon witnesses to testify is in line with the Houses of Parliament (Privileges and Powers) Act 1952 and Azam is clearly in contempt of Parliament when he disregards Parliamentary calls.”

       The four also cited PSC chairman Abdul Latiff Abdul Rahman’s decision to postpone the special meeting and stated their objection against the Kuala Krai MP.

       “According to him (Abdul Latiff), Azam had responded, saying the special meeting went against Parliament’s Standing Orders.

       “Among issues raised by Azam was that he had filed a civil suit for defamation against a journalist and therefore no one is allowed to discuss the case or comment on it, as it can be sub judice.”

       The four also said Azam had stated that the Securities Commission (SC) and MACC’s complaints committee are currently investigating the case.

       “Azam claimed if his nature and conduct were to be discussed, then it should have been brought through a Parliament motion, not through the PSC.

       “We do not agree with the excuses given by Azam,” added the four.

       Meanwhile, Puncak Borneo MP Datuk Willie Mongin said Public Accounts Committee (PAC) chairman Wong Kah Woh should apologise to Dewan Rakyat Speaker Tan Sri Azhar Azizan Harun for allegedly misleading the public by claiming that the latter had the discretion to make the inquiry public.

       “I read with sheer amazement how an MP can misread a Standing Order or pretend to misread the Standing Order to mislead the public.

       “Wong says that the Speaker has the discretion to suspend Parliament’s Standing Orders to make public the inquiry into Azam’s shareholding.

       “However, standing Order 90(2) clearly does not give the Speaker any discretion to suspend the Standing Orders relating to the PSC, nor does it give the Speaker the right to initiate the suspension of such Standing Orders,” Willie said in a statement yesterday.

       In a statement earlier yesterday, the PAC’s Wong claimed that as Speaker, Azhar has the prerogative to suspend Parliamentary Standing Orders by referring the matter to MPs in the House, according to Standing Order 90(2).

       “A Member of the House must initiate the question, and only then may the Speaker put it to the House for a vote,” said Willie, however.

       “In short, 90(2) merely allows any MP to propose a rule be suspended, and certainly not for the Speaker to make such a proposal.

       “It says the Speaker can allow the question to be put without notice to a vote in the House. That is the extend of Standing Order 90(2). No more, no less.

       “But Wong has added salt and pepper or lacks the comprehension to interpret them properly.

       “Therefore, I put it to the honourable member of Ipoh Timor that his reading of the Standing Order 90(2) is incorrect and he owes the Speaker and the general public an apology for his false accusations,” he added.

       Azam’s controversy involves the purchase of a substantial number of shares in Gets Global Bhd and Excel Force MSC Bhd between 2015 and 2016 when he was the MACC director of investigations.

       Azam has said he is willing to be investigated by the MACC committees and that he is confident the truth will be known soon.

       He also said only the Yang di-Pertuan Agong can relieve him of his position as MACC chief.