(Apr 14): The Public Accounts Committee may start its own audit into debt-ridden state fund 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB) without waiting for findings by the auditor-general since controversies involving the fund have been politicised, The Star Online reported today.

PAC chairman Datuk Nur Jazlan Mohamed was quoted as saying this depended on the scope of the A-G's audit and whether it involved 1MDB's domestic or foreign dealings.

“If the audit involves foreign transactions, it may take a year for the A-G’s audit to be completed and this may be too long,” he said according to the news portal.

He said the probe could begin in the next few months. Previously, PAC had said that it would wait for the A-G to complete checks on 1MDB's books before launching its own probe.

“It has involved politics and as a parliamentary committee, PAC has the power to initiate its own audit.

"The committee is not trying to pressure the A-G to speed up its audit but if it takes too long, then we will have to move in,” he told the portal.

He added that this was needed to dispel any talk the government was trying to hide something should there be a delay in the A-G's audit.

Nur Jazlan also said that the PAC was "eagerly waiting" for the A-G to complete the audit to allow the committee to scrutinise the findings.

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak had last month ordered the auditor-general to "independently verify 1MDB's accounts", with the findings to be passed to PAC.

"If any wrongdoing is proven, the law will be enforced without exception," Najib had said in a statement released by his office.

On March 25, Putrajaya said it had set up a special task force to investigate the troubled state investor’s operations and its RM42 billion debt. – The Malaysian Insider