YOURSAY | ‘Hasan's ‘cari makan’ statement pervades the establishment in this country.’

No more press conferences, declares upset PAC chief

Anonymous_1426565266: Hasan Arifin, do you think you can just halt PAC's press conferences as you like? Let me remind you that you are the chief of the 'Public' Accounts Committee, not some private silat association.

PAC is dealing with matters related to the use of public funds, which involves taxpayers' money. It demands total accountability and full transparency.

The public want to see thorough investigation into potential fraud involving billions of the rakyat's hard-earned money.

Unfortunately, you don't take it seriously and worse, you have the nerve to joke about it like a silly clown? Do you think the public are stupid?

Please quit, you have just proven that you do not have the integrity to take on this job.

Anonymous$&@?: PAC chief, please take your job seriously. If you want to joke, join the circus. Holding press conferences is a requirement to keep the rakyat informed of this alleged 1MDB con-job.

Victor Johan: Hasan, we can understand that you are sulking and thus making this “no more press conferences” stand.

If you can't take ownership of your own statement of your needing to “cari makan” and the pressure that only you have put yourself into in the first place, why don't you resign from the appointed post and let someone else more qualified to do the job?

Following the true democratic processes, the PAC chairperson is best filled up by a competent MP from the opposition camp.

The public demands accountability from the government, and thus the reason why the PAC was set up, and the reason it is answerable to all other MPs and the rakyat.

Gerard Lourdesamy: It is unprecedented in the Commonwealth parliamentary practice for a first-term rookie MP to be appointed as chairperson of the PAC.

Even if the BN does not want to follow the Westminster practice of appointing the PAC chairperson from the opposition, it should have appointed a more experienced and seasoned Umno-BN MP to the post, rather than a person whose only claim to importance is his friendship to the PM.

For example, Gua Musang MP Tengku Razeleigh Hamzah would be an excellent choice for PAC chairperson given his vast experience in and out of the government.

Hasan's “cari makan” statement pervades the establishment in this country.

StrainingGnats, SwallowCamels: Hasan said, "As the PAC chief, I am disappointed that my efforts to be friendly with the media are not appreciated by some media practitioners... As such, the PAC will not hold any more press conferences..."

This is stonewalling the press. And in stonewalling the press, you are actually stonewalling the long-suffering and deserving public who is still waiting to find out the truth about 1MDB. And because of what? Ego?

It would certainly be convenient if your intention is to finally deprive the rakyat of their basic democratic rights - accurate information and accountability.

If you are sincere in your role as PAC chief, why let a thing as minuscule as your ego prevent you from doing a significant part of your job, which is to keep the public informed of your progress, unless there is an intentional lack of progress?

If you are sincere about being press-friendly, why not continue to pursue this for the sake of the people you serve?

Anonymous_1393648884: As an objective observer of the video (of Hasan's press conference), there is no doubt in my mind, in the context of the reporter's query about the PAC questioning Prime Minister Najib Razak, that Hasan's reply means that he (Hasan) has to consider that he has to earn his living (lest he's fired) if he dares to allow the PAC to interrogate Najib.

SimonTi: Every Malaysian knows the true meaning of 'cari makan' under such circumstances. To 'cari makan' is a Malay colloquial term that most kampung folk often say to mean to eke out a living.

Or cautiously and nicely put, everyone needs to survive and not offend those who are “feeding” you.

CQ Muar: It is both perplexing and beyond comprehension why there isn't a law or somebody 'powerful' enough to haul in or force Najib to assist in the investigation of 1MDB.

This is not a trivial matter, but something of national interest involving billions of ringgit belonging to the rakyat.

The demand for public disclosure concerning 1MDB had gone on long enough; and has now even landed the PAC chief into hot water when he was grilled by the media on whether PAC would call the PM to testify.

MinahBulat: Hasan, why are you so upset?

What the Malaysian public are upset about is that you are the head of the PAC and you are not calling Najib and you see no need to do so.

That shows you are prejudiced or fail to appreciate the 1MDB issue and the RM2.6 billion ‘donation’.

Monty: Of course, it had to be a joke. Everything to do with Najib and 1MDB has to be a joke as the PM struts the world stage totally unconcerned with how Malaysians and even his own Umno members view his track record.

Does that man have no shame or dignity left?

So 'let’s cari makan' now means 'let’s get lunch'

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