Thursday 28 Mar 2024
By
main news image

KUALA LUMPUR (Oct 29): 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB) president and group executive director Arul Kanda Kandasamy said that he accepts Democratic Action Party (DAP) lawmaker Tony Pua's challenge to have a "no holds barred live talk show", but on the condition that Pua resigns from the Public Accounts Committee (PAC).

In a statement today, Arul Kanda said that Pua needs to resign from the PAC, which is in the midst of conducting an investigation into 1MDB, in order to maintain the integrity of the investigation.

"It is a known fact that Tony Pua is a member of the Public Accounts Committee, which is in the midst of conducting an investigation into 1MDB.

"In order to maintain the integrity of the PAC's investigation, and to avoid any conflict of interest, [he] must first resign from the PAC," said Arul Kanda.

He added that despite Pua's efforts to do so, he cannot be judge, jury and executioner.

"As such, I trust he will have the courage to do the right thing and resign from the PAC in order for us to have, in his words, a 'no holds barred' discussion on live television," said Arul Kanda.

Pua in a blog posting titled Can I do a talk show with Arul Kanda, where I ask the questions? today made a reference to Arul Kanda's live interview that was aired on Bernama TV last night, in which the 1MDB president said there is absolutely no cover up in relation to 1MDB, the state own investment firm that has run up debts of RM42 billion.

"Despite his claim of 'no cover up', the 1MDB chief executive has to date steered totally clear of responding to my allegations that 1MDB performed a fraudulent round-tripping exercise over the payment of US$1 billion to terminate its options granted to International Petroleum Investment Company (IPIC).

"However, I am, as ever, willing to be proven wrong. Since Arul Kanda proudly proclaimed that there is absolutely no cover up to 1MDB, may I humbly propose that the 1MDB President attends a 'live' talk show which I will host and ask the questions. He will be given every opportunity and as much time as he likes to answer these questions," Pua wrote.

Pua added that he will bear no grudges if Arul Kanda succeeds in embarrassing him by showing evidence from any 1MDB financial documents that disprove Pua's allegations.

"The question is, will he have to courage to accept the challenge or will he stick to the safe comfort of the pliant mainstream media?" asked the DAP lawmaker.

 

      Print
      Text Size
      Share