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

I meant looking for lunch by ‘cari makan’, says PAC chief

 Kim Quek: In the context Public Accounts Committee (PAC) chief Hasan Arifin uttered the words “Jangan lah, saya pun nak cari makan jugak”, he clearly meant that he would not call PM Najib Razak to the hearing, because, he too, had to keep his rice bowl.

His subsequent explanation (after being criticised) that he only meant he was looking for food is hence a blatant lie.

As the final decision-maker for all major 1MDB investments and transactions, Najib should naturally be the prime target of all probes into the alleged mega frauds and horrendous disaster of 1MDB.

In addition, the unaccounted-for deposits of US$681 million from overseas and RM42 million from SRC International respectively into his personal bank accounts are individual instances of apparent corruption until proven otherwise.

By ruling out the attendance of such a prime suspect in the hearing – on the self-confessed ground of fearing reprisals from the prime minister, Hasan has already disqualified himself as chairperson or even a member of the PAC. So, Hasan must leave the PAC forthwith.

On another note, why should the PAC chairperson be the sole decision-maker as to who should or should not be called to the hearing?

Shouldn’t such decisions be made only after deliberation by the committee? Is the chairperson empowered to act like a dictator in the PAC?

Odin Tajué: Hasan, your explanations just simply do not make any sense, at all.

If you had literally meant that you were looking for food (or lunch), why was it necessary to tell the reporters that it was off-the-record? It would have been a harmless statement, wouldn’t it?

And in what sense would it have been a joke? The context in which the statement was made does not even remotely suggest jest.

Next point. You preceded the phrase “saya pun nak cari makan jugak” with “jangan lah” in response to a reporter’s reminder that former PAC chief Nur Jazlan Mohamed had said that were it found necessary, the prime minister would be summoned for questioning.

Your response meant for the reporter to not press you for a confirmation as to whether Najib would be summoned, and that you have to avoid venturing into that subject to protect your means of livelihood.

One with some measure of intellect easily surmises from your response that you will not summon Najib for questioning or else you will have to go back to your kampung and grow cassava to sell to earn a living.

We all know the so-called probes are simply charades, Hasan. They are purely designed to enable Najib to avoid having to offer any explanations.

All he need to do is to say “wait for the investigations to be completed” – and which he as well as his hordes of fanatical toadies, flunkeys and leeches have been doing.

Nothing will come of the investigations or probes or whatchamaycallit.

Goldee: Indeed, to everyone’s understanding, the term “cari makan” means “my hands are tied and I can’t do much or don’t expect me to act on it”. It’s as simple as that.

Teo Chuen Tick: Does it really matter? Don’t we know the PAC is just a shadow play, a delaying tactic to give the impression that the government is serious about getting to the bottom of the 1MDB scandal?

Vijay47: Without fail, leading Umno members can only make a poor ill-advised situation worse by attempting to explain and justify their action.

“Jangan lah, saya pun cari makan.” Firstly, why “jangan lah”? The questions were putting you into an embarrassing spot?

Secondly, why “saya pun” (I also)? As in, I also am trying to make a quick buck like all the others?

Hasan, you try so hard to squeal your way out but food was not the subject of the discussion. Perhaps you were referring to your leader’s appetite.

FellowMalaysian: How can a person with such an irresponsible and disingenuous character be a MP and chosen by the PM to head the PAC, an independent public enquiry committee in Parliament?

For denying the truth of what he has just said and resorting to spinning his words, Hasan has proved irrefutably that he is not worthy enough to be PAC’s chair.

He has not only brought shame and embarrassment to the country but also to Umno, BN and above all, to Najib.

LKT: This slip of the tongue statement is the concrete proof that Najib had castrated PAC thus rendering the committee completely impotent when he pulled the former chairperson and three other BN members out of PAC.

Hasan is specifically tasked by Najib to protect and shield him and eventually clear him of any wrongdoing related to 1MDB or the so-called RM2.6 billion donation.

Wiser: Typical. Twist and turn and denial and denial. But you cannot change what you said, and the jury is out already. Finito.

Benghazi: I have no confidence in this man’s ability to investigate the PM with regard the RM2.6 billion donation deposited into his personal account.

In the first place, the man was put there by the PM himself; both are from Pahang. Najib is certain of his appointee’s loyalty to him, and Hasan is not about to betray his patron’s trust.

Malaysians might as well forget about the investigation on the ‘donation’. Najib is too smart to let the noose tighten around his neck.

Shibboleth: This is the problem: the purpose of elected representatives in the government is to “cari makan”.

If that is the case, then it’s no longer a government, it’s a syndicate.

The above is a selection of comments posted by Malaysiakini subscribers. Only paying subscribers can post comments. Over the past one year, Malaysiakinians have posted over 100,000 comments. Join the Malaysiakini community and help set the news agenda. Subscribe now.

These comments are compiled to reflect the views of Malaysiakini subscribers on matters of public interest. Malaysiakini does not intend to represent these views as fact.