PUTRAJAYA: Transport Minister Anthony Loke today emphasised that the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) is required to adhere to proper channels when seeking any explanations from his Ministry, including on Malaysia Airports Holdings Bhd’s (MAHB) share sales.
Stating that neither he nor the Ministry is involved in the corporate transaction, Loke said any decision by PAC should be made by its committee and not solely by its chairman, Datuk Mas Ermieyati Samsudin.
“She cannot simply make a statement. PAC is not just one person. Even though she is chairman, she’s not alone,“ he told reporters after attending the Paduan Kasih MADANI programme and the Ministry of Transport’s monthly assembly here today.
Previously, the PAC chairman reportedly said that the committee has not ruled out summoning several important individuals including the Transport Minister relating to allegations of RM500 million loss in MAHB’s share transactions by the Employees Provident Fund.
Mas Ermieyati said Loke and all related individuals would be called to provide clarifications in stages, with proceedings set to begin in the second week of this month.
Asked whether he has been summoned by PAC, Loke said: “No”, adding that any requests by PAC need to be made officially to the ministry.
“If they want any explanation from us, they must communicate officially with the Transport Ministry.
“We will review the scope and other aspects. If the scope is not under the ministry, we will write to the Dewan Rakyat Speaker to state that the matter has nothing to do with the ministry,“ he said.
“MAHB is a listed company. It is not under the Transport Ministry. The issue of equity ownership in MAHB by institutions including Khazanah Nasional Bhd and EPF is managed by fund managers of those institutions and, in the case mentioned, it refers to the EPF.
“Hence, if (they) want an explanation, ask EPF, not my ministry,“ he added.
On the delay of the Aerotrain service at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA), Loke said the project is under the management of MAHB and not the Transport Ministry.
“I’m also dissatisfied with the delay in the Aerotrain project, but this project is not under the Ministry of Transport’s development fund. The funding and contract awarded are under MAHB, and it should be the responsibility of the MAHB board of directors to explain it,“ he said.
MAHB recently announced that the Aerotrain service at KLIA, originally scheduled to resume in January 2025, has been postponed to the second quarter of 2025. The service has been out of operation for two years.
