PAC chief lifts media conference ban stating that the panel is responsible to Parliament, making it therefore responsible to the public

In sudden U-turn, PAC chief lifts media conference ban

By BY YAP TZU GING | The Malay Mail Online – 55 minutes ago

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  PAC chairman Datuk Hasan Arifin noted the number of agencies that received ‘four …

KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 23 — The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) today reversed its previous decision to discontinue media conferences, with chairman Datuk Hasan Arifin saying that the panel is responsible to Parliament, making it therefore responsible to the public.

Hasan, who was explaining the matter at a press conference at the Parliament building, said the panel will continue engaging with the media.

“PAC is responsible to the Parliament and Parliament is responsible to the people. So, it is our responsibility to explain current issues,” he said when asked to explain the sudden U-turn.

Last Thursday, Hasan decided to discontinue all future press conferences by the parliamentary panel after accusing the media of wrongly reporting his “cari makan” comment.

The comment was reportedly uttered the day before when reporters asked Hasan to explain why the PAC would not call up Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak for its investigation on 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB).

But according to the PAC chief, he had made the comment in jest and had not meant for it to be reported.