Shahidan Kassim denies that he confirmed the special MH370 briefing for the opposition will be held next Tuesday.
KUALA LUMPUR: Minister in the Prime Minister Department Shahidan Kassim said that he cannot confirm next Tuesday’s special MH370 briefing for opposition MPs because Pakatan Rakyat has yet to send him an official notice on the matter.
“I have not yet said that I agreed to the date. I have to refer to Hishammuddin Hussein’s schedule first, to see if he is free on that day,” Shahidan told a press conference at the Parliament lobby today.
He said that once he received the note from Pakatan, he would pass it to Hishammuddin for the latter to confirm his attendance.
“Of course, they can send their notice directly to Hishammuddin if they wish. As the minister in charge of parliamentary affairs, I am just acting as the intermediary to facilitate their briefing.”
His statement contradicted DAP stalwart Lim Kit Siang’s claim this morning that the minister had already agreed on the briefing to be held Tuesday.
The Gelang Patah MP said the briefing should only be conducted by Hishammuddin or Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak.
Shahidan today urged Pakatan to stop politicising the matter, adding that the government was not hiding anything.
“All information and latest developments are delivered transparently in press conferences that are broadcast to the entire world,” he said.
Meanwhile, Shahidan defended Hishammuddin’s trip to Hawaii on Monday to attend the US-Asean Defence Forum, stressing that the defence minister had long ago agreed to be present at the forum.
“The forum is important to Malaysia because it is a platform for defence ministers from Asean to interact.
“It indirectly gives Hishammuddin a chance to express the Malaysian government’s appreciation towards America and the Asean nations, who have come together to help in the search and rescue mission for MH370,” said Shahidan.
Yesterday morning, Pakatan MPs claimed Hishammuddin’s trip to Hawaii was his attempt to “run away” from the briefing, which they claimed should have been held last night.
But Shahidan had clarified later that evening that no briefing was scheduled for that night because the opposition lawmakers had failed to provide him a notice confirming the date.
“I have not yet said that I agreed to the date. I have to refer to Hishammuddin Hussein’s schedule first, to see if he is free on that day,” Shahidan told a press conference at the Parliament lobby today.
He said that once he received the note from Pakatan, he would pass it to Hishammuddin for the latter to confirm his attendance.
“Of course, they can send their notice directly to Hishammuddin if they wish. As the minister in charge of parliamentary affairs, I am just acting as the intermediary to facilitate their briefing.”
His statement contradicted DAP stalwart Lim Kit Siang’s claim this morning that the minister had already agreed on the briefing to be held Tuesday.
The Gelang Patah MP said the briefing should only be conducted by Hishammuddin or Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak.
Shahidan today urged Pakatan to stop politicising the matter, adding that the government was not hiding anything.
“All information and latest developments are delivered transparently in press conferences that are broadcast to the entire world,” he said.
Meanwhile, Shahidan defended Hishammuddin’s trip to Hawaii on Monday to attend the US-Asean Defence Forum, stressing that the defence minister had long ago agreed to be present at the forum.
“The forum is important to Malaysia because it is a platform for defence ministers from Asean to interact.
“It indirectly gives Hishammuddin a chance to express the Malaysian government’s appreciation towards America and the Asean nations, who have come together to help in the search and rescue mission for MH370,” said Shahidan.
Yesterday morning, Pakatan MPs claimed Hishammuddin’s trip to Hawaii was his attempt to “run away” from the briefing, which they claimed should have been held last night.
But Shahidan had clarified later that evening that no briefing was scheduled for that night because the opposition lawmakers had failed to provide him a notice confirming the date.
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