Friday 29 Mar 2024
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KUALA LUMPUR (Mar 24): Deputy Finance Minister Datuk Ahmad Maslan said the government has "nothing to hide" in relation to beleaguered government-owned strategic investment fund 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB).

He said this was why Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak was "brave enough" to engage the Auditor General to audit the financials of the fund.

It is also why Barisan Nasional will continue to be the ruling party in the next general election (GE), unshaken by the 1MDB issue, said Ahmad Maslan.

He was answering questions raised by an Umno grassroot leader at a luncheon talk on goods and services tax organised by his ministry today.

The Umno leader asked if BN would still be able to rule the country with the criticisms and negativity that it has to contend with now.

"We have nothing to hide on 1MDB," said Ahmad Maslan.

He also said that the listing of 1MDB's energy arm, Edra Global Energy Bhd, was delayed because the opposition has been trying to portray a bad image of the fund.

He stressed the cash flow problems faced by 1MDB could be resolved through the listing of Edra Global Energy. He also reiterated that 1MDB is an investment fund that focuses on long-term profit rather than short-term gains.

But when pressed about the timeline for the listing, he only vaguely said, "hopefully sometime this year".

Former Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir had warned about two weeks ago that if the investigations on 1MDB were not done properly, then the coalition could lose the people's support in the next GE in 2018.

Dr Mahathir also called for a forensic investigation by the police into the allegations against those linked to the controversial 1MDB, saying that a mere audit "is not enough" to uncover the truth behind the debt-ridden state investment vehicle.

His warning came after a show of acceptance and support by Umno division chiefs to Najib after his explanation about the investment fund.

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