The Prime Minister's Department has been instructed by Parliament to explain why its statement on the Election Commission's hiring of Puteri Umno members differs from the version given by the Conference of Malay Rulers.

Last week, the Conference of Malay Rulers said that the EC had hired several Puteri Umno members, but their employment were subsequently terminated.

However the EC had earlier told Dewan Rakyat speaker Dr Mohamed Zahir Ismail - who had sought clarification after the matter was raised in the House - that it had "withdrawn instructions" to recruit the members from the ruling political party.

This response by EC, said PAS, had implied that no Puteri Umno members were hired by the EC.

Today Mohamed Zahir issued the instruction to the PM's Department to give an explanation following an emergency motion filed by Mahfuz Omar (PAS-Pokok Sena).

EC 'lied' to Parliament

When House debate resumed this morning, the PAS leader stood up and insisted that his motion be urgently discussed in Parliament since it involved the integrity of an organisation which is tasked to organise free and fair elections.

"Since we have an official reply from the Rulers' Council confirming the Puteri Umno recruitment, we believe there is a need to discuss the matter," he said.

He added that the Rulers' Council reply showed that the commission had lied to Parliament.

Mahfuz also called on the EC and the PM's Department - which oversee the EC - should apologise to the House speaker and Parliament.

Responding to this, speaker Mohamed said he would not approve the emergency motion for debate.

However, he cited standing order 14 (1) to allow the PM's Department to explain the matter at an unspecified date.

Speaking to reporters later, Mahfuz said he was informed by the department's parliamentary secretary Noh Omar that ministers, Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor or Dr Rais Yatim, will issue a respond to the Rulers' Council letter tomorrow.

The PAS leader reiterated that an explanation was crucial to ensure public confidence on the EC's role in the next general election and called for the setting up of a tribunal to probe the EC-Puteri Umno 'collusion'.

"It is especially regretful when the one lying to the House is the EC, which is a government agency. Therefore, they should issue an explanation to clear the air," Mahfuz said.

Azalina's list

Last Thursday, PAS president and parliamentary opposition leader Abdul Hadi Awang received an official reply from the Rulers' Council which had deliberated the matter in a pre-council meeting two days earlier.

The reply said the EC had recruited seven Puteri Umno members as "temporary administrative assistants", whose employment was later terminated soon after the scandal broke.

The seven were selected from 45 candidates named by Puteri Umno chief Azalina Othman.

The council's letter was in respond to a memorandum submitted by PAS leaders on Sept 17, which sought the intervention of the Rulers' Council to sack EC chief Abdul Rashid Abdul Rahman.

The King appoints the EC chief on the advice of the country's nine sultans and the prime minister, as stipulated by the federal constitution.

The EC-Puteri Umno 'collusion' was exposed after PAS leaders revealed that the EC had agreed to recruit Puteri Umno members as temporary workers for the next general election, effective June 1.

Party leaders backed their claim with a copy of a 'leaked' letter sent by EC deputy secretary Patimah Mohd Yusof in May to all state election officers, asking them to adhere to "normal" procedures in hiring Puteri Umno members.

She also wanted them to treat her letter as "secret", and instructed that it not to be kept in an open file of the officers.

PAS also circulated a copy of another letter entitled 'Employment candidates to the EC', sent by Azalina to the EC chief in April, together with a list of Puteri Umno candidates.

EC: No hidden agenda

On Sept 8, malaysiakini quoted EC chief Abdul Rashid as saying that he had directed that recruitment be stopped after PAS MPs raised the issue during the previous sitting of Parliament in June.

He had denied any hidden agenda behind the move, saying he had given instructions that the intake should not be done under the name of any political party.

On Sept 29, when the matter attracted heated debate in the Dewan Rakyat, Tengku Adnan had defended the EC, claiming that it was only recruiting "unemployed and fresh undergraduates who coincidently are the wing's members".