No need for PAC members to undertake oath of secrecy - Hasan

There is no need for Public Accounts Committee (PAC) members to take an oath of secrecy, said its chairman Datuk Hasan Arifin.

This is because every PAC member is a parliamentarian who had already been sworn-in.

"So, I stress that there is no need for PAC members to take an oath," said Hasan in his first media conference as PAC chairman today.

Before this, there had been suggestions for PAC members to undertake an oath of secrecy.

The call was made by Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi who had argued that the move was necessary so that PAC members don't reveal documents from the committee's investigations.

Meanwhile, Hasan was also asked on the intention of Tony Pua, who is a PAC member, to debate with 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) president and chief executive Arul Kanda Kandasamy on issues surrounding the debt-ridden state development fund.

"Like I said before, it is up to Tony Pua if he wants to debate," he said curtly.

When asked if there were any rules within PAC that disallows Pua to debate, Hasan said there were none, to his knowledge.