Kit Siang dissatisfied with PAC chairman’s satisfaction

DAP supremo wants Deputy PAC chairman instead to head 1MDB enquiry to ensure it will not be sullied by Hasan Arifin's “cari makan" propensities.

PETALING JAYA: Hasan Arifin’s declaration of satisfaction with the testimony of Arul Kanda Kandasamy of 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB) yesterday has reinforced Lim Kit Siang’s concerns over the objectivity of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) chairman.

In a statement, the DAP supremo accused Hasan of exhibiting a “cari makan” propensity when the latter jumped the gun and declared he was “satisfied” with the testimony given by the 1MDB CEO to the PAC.

‘Cari makan’ or to eke out a living was a term Hasan used earlier – although he subsequently claimed it was made in jest – in response to a question on why Prime Minister Najib Razak would not be called to testify in the PAC’s inquiry into 1MDB.

This “satisfaction”, Lim pointed out, comes despite Arul having not completed his testimony and Hasan not having received PAC’s blessings to declare publicly that the committee was indeed satisfied with Arul’s explanation.

“Hasan’s statement yesterday has only reinforced concerns over whether he was elected PAC chairman to get to the bottom of the 1MDB scandal or to ensure that the PAC probe into the 1MDB scandal would end up as a ‘cover up’ or end inconclusively.”

The Gelang Patah lawmaker went on to suggest Hasan make way for deputy PAC chairman, Dr Tan Seng Giaw of DAP, to head the inquiry into the 1MDB scandal so that the proceedings would not be sullied by Hasan’s “cari makan” propensities.

Yesterday it was reported that Hasan was “satisfied” with the statements furnished by Arul Kanda “for now.”

Tan, meanwhile had noted that Arul did not carry much “baggage” in 1MDB as he was appointed CEO only in January this year.

Arul Kanda is expected to face the PAC again on December 18.