INTERIM Attorney-General Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum has accused some politicians and media organisations of engaging in personalising the issue of interim Finance Minister Mahendra Chaudhry's taxation matters.
Speaking at a press conference at government buildings yesterday morning, Mr Sayed-Khaiyum said the "usual suspects" Pramod Rae, Mick Beddoes, Kenneth Zinck, ousted PM Laisenia Qarase and Peceli Kinivuwai were calling for investigations into Mr Chaudhry's tax details.
But he said now that the independent inquiry team had conducted the inquiry into the issue the same people were now making allegations about the inquiry and its scope and the respected and professional members.
"It's quite apparent from utterances from those such as Qarase, Zinck, Mick Beddoes and Pramod Rae and of course some from the media organisations that despite this genuine initiative from the interim PM, they would do everything and grasp at anything to create doubts into the minds of the people," he said.
"Last night (Monday) on national television, a very undignified and disrespectful Pramod Rae took shots at every member of the inquiry team, rather embarrassingly grasping at straws, alleging collusion on the part of Taufa Vakatale, who is a highly respected and dignified member of the society.
"He did not show any decorum. He also tried to create doubts in the public minds about Bruce Cowley's credibility because he was from Minter Ellison from Brisbane Australia," said Mr Sayed-Khaiyum.
He said Mr Rae also tried in vain to draw a relationship between Russell Postle and his (Mr Sayed-Khaiyum's) aunt Dr Nur Bano Ali who runs a BDO Kendalls franchise in Fiji.
"Anyone who knows about such international franchise accounting firms would know that these firms operate independently and professionally. They, like most critics, cannot focus on the issue," said Mr Sayed-Khaiyum.
He said unfortunately, the media no longer bothered to analyse matters.
"No comparison between then and now. They only provide reactive, sensationalist and soap opera based stories."
Mr Sayed-Khaiyum said in Fiji now, personal attacks and personalisation of matters had become the norm.