Public Accounts Committee (PAC) will conduct an inquiry into the financial loss
incurred by the Penang Island Municipal Council due to the cancellation of the
“Kings of Tennis” event this week.
chairman, Jagdeep Singh Deo, who is also Datuk Keramat assemblyman, said the
closed-door inquiry would be held at the State Legislative Assembly building to
find out why the tennis event, which was supposed to run for three days from
yesterday at the Esplanade, was cancelled.
inquiry was also aimed at determining the extent of damage to the field at the
Esplanade due to the building of a special arena for the tennis event and who
would be responsible for repairing the damage.
to Rule 109 A (4) of the State Legislative Assembly Standing Order, the PAC has
the power to call any state government official and to obtain the relevant
papers or records, as well as call other persons to give their statements so as
to ascertain whether the matter involved financial accountability.
views the matter seriously and the inquiry is to find out the reasons for the
tennis event, which was organised by a private company, to be cancelled,” he
told reporters at a press conference.
stage, three witnesses will be called to cooperate and give their statements
before the nine-member
said when completed, the inquiry report would be tabled at the assembly and
made public, while the PAC could also recommend the kind of action to be taken
against those responsible.
disclose who are the witnesses to be called but the organisations or persons
involved, including state executive councillors, can be called to give their
statements.
concerned about the damaged field at the Esplanade and we do not want
taxpayers’ money to be used for repairing the damage. That’s why we are
conducting the inquiry,” he said.
to press reports, the prestigious tennis event was suddenly cancelled when the
tournament organiser in
refused to allow the tennis legends to play in the
event because the local organiser had allegedly failed to collect enough funds
for the event.
of Tennis” event was supposed to feature tennis legends like Pete Sampras, John
McEnroe and Bjorn Borg.
the event organiser, Arianna Teoh, was reported as saying that she would be
responsible for the cancellation of the event.
