(July 15): The auditor-general’s interim report on 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) must be made public, said opposition leader Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, following conflicting claims about its contents.

“It is patently unfair to the public and improper to refer to the contents of a document purportedly to say there is no evidence of wrongdoing,” said Dr Wan Azizah.

She was referring to Second Finance Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Husni Hanadzlah, who said yesterday that the report found no evidence of wrongdoing by 1MDB or proof that US$700 million went to a "certain individual".

“There is no way the public can verify the truth or falsity of the statement. Far from clarifying the situation, it only makes things worse and serves to confuse the public as to the true situation.

“This is because the public is prevented from seeing for themselves whether the statement is true or false,” said Dr Wan Azizah, who is also  Permatang Pauh MP.

Earlier today, Petaling Jaya Utara MP Tony Pua accused Husni of having "blatantly lied" over the A-G’s report which had been submitted to Parliament’s Public Accounts Committee (PAC).

Pua is a member of the PAC, which has been tasked with investigating how the six-year-old state investor had racked up RM42 billion in debts.

The A-G's preliminary findings, which were handed over to the PAC on July 9, will not be made public as Putrajaya has decided to only disclose the final report.

Dr Wan Azizah said this was not a sufficient reason for not making the report public as 1MDB’s problems were affecting investor sentiment concerning the economy and the value of the ringgit.

“The public is able to understand and appreciate the document is an interim report and the final position can only be made upon the issuance of the full report.”

1MDB is mired in controversial deals such as overpaying for power asset purchases and buying land cheaply from the federal government.

More recently, it has been linked to an election funding scandal, where other companies linked to it had allegedly funnelled billions of ringgit into Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak's personal bank accounts.

As authorities probe these allegations, Najib has denied taking 1MDB money for personal use.

The audit will also examine a controversial joint venture with PetroSaudi International and the process of 1MDB's formation as a company.

The final audit, which will include examinations of 1MDB's real estate and energy arms, is due end of the year. – The Malaysian Insider