(Aug 6): The delay in the Public Accounts Committee's (PAC) investigation into 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) will allow time for the authorities to check tampering claims, reports the New Straits Times.

Barisan Nasional strategic communications director Datuk Abdul Rahman Dahlan was reported by the daily saying that the appointment of new members of the PAC in October would provide ample time for the agencies involved in the 1MDB probe to complete their task.

He said the two-month interim period would allow the agencies to look into evidence that the documents related to the sovereign investment fund were tampered with.

"We are not saying the documents were tampered with. It is from the Thailand authorities. There is a merit to postpone the meet so the agencies can re-check," he was quoted as saying on TV3’s Soal Jawab programme last night.

In June, claims that emails between 1MDB and Petrosaudi International had been tampered with to paint a bad picture of the state investment fund surfaced shortly after the arrest of former PetroSaudi director Xavier Andre Justo in Thailand.

The postponement of the PAC'S proceeding has outraged many in the opposition parties, civil society and watchdog groups.

The postponement came after Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak elevated four members of the committee to the posts of minister and deputy ministers during his cabinet reshuffle last week.

The reshuffle saw Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin dropped as deputy prime minister shortly after he openly criticised Najib's handling of the 1MDB scandal. Datuk Seri Shafie Apdal was also dropped as minister.

Rahman, who is the Urban Wellbeing, Local Government and Housing Minister, also said there was nothing unusual about the recent cabinet reshuffle.

He explained that the elevation of the four former PAC members was due to the merits of the MPs, NST reported.

He said Datuk Mas Ermieyati Samsudin was appointed to the cabinet as deputy tourism and culture minister because as a lawyer, she would be able to render good support to the cabinet.

Meanwhile, Datuk Seri Reezal Merican Naina Merican, as deputy foreign minister, would be able to deal with any foreign issue in the Middle East because he was fluent in Arabic, Rahman said.

Datuk Wilfred Madius Tangau from Barisan Nasional's component party Upko in Sabah, Rahman said, would be able to help the government to strengthen the colaition in the state.

As for former PAC chairman Datuk Nur Jazlan Mohamed, he said the MP has been in Parliament since 2004 and "we do not want him to miss out any more from being in the cabinet”.

Rahman also said the reshuffle was to ensure that all members in the cabinet gave Najib full support.

"The loyalty is not to him but to the prime minister’s institution," he was quoted saying, adding that ministers have the collective responsibility to agree on decisions made during cabinet meetings.

He said when a decision was made, the ministers should support it or voice their disagreement at the meeting and not use other avenues.

Rahman said Najib was open and transparent at the cabinet meeting, and would listen if anyone was unhappy with his decisions.

"I as a junior minister had disagreed two or three times on decisions that were made and he withdrew the decision.

"If someone cannot work or agree they should resign," he was quoted saying by the NST. – The Malaysian Insider