As such, Kota Melaka MP Khoo Poay Tiong said the top graft buster’s excuse for not turning up after he was invited by the PSC recently to discuss his controversial share ownership was therefore lame.
“He need not use such a lame technical excuse to avoid appearing before the PSC.
“Nevertheless, since he has raised this issue, we will ask the parliamentary secretary to summon him via a subpoena,” he told FMT.
Last month, the PSC meeting to discuss Azam’s controversial share dealing was postponed pending a referral to Parliament’s legal adviser.
Azam, who has denied any wrongdoing, had raised concerns that the meeting would breach the Dewan Rakyat’s standing orders.
In an interview with selected media published today, Azam said he was merely going by the book when he had declined to appear before the PSC last month, adding that he had only received an invite to do so.
He said if he had been subpoenaed, he would surely have turned up because as an enforcement officer he had to respect the law.
Another PSC member, William Leong, said the committee had always practised extending an invitation via a letter or making a personal call if it needed to discuss or clarify issues with any person of authority.
Leong said that once an invite was extended, the individual should appear before the PSC voluntarily.
“We only issue summonses or subpoenas if the person chooses not to attend or asks for one. That’s just doing things the hard way,” he told FMT.
However, the Selayang MP said Azam was entitled to his own opinion and that he respected his decision not to show up the last time he was invited to do so.
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