KUALA LUMPUR: Opposition lawmakers yesterday ticked off the Ministry of Finance (MoF) over contradictory statements made on tycoon T Ananda Krishnan’s involvement in the settlement of 1Malaysia Development Bhd’s (1MDB) RM2 billion debt with local financial institutions.

“There are contradictory statements from the MoF on Ananda’s involvement in settling the RM2 billion debt. We want to know who wrote the written answers to Parliament. Was it Ahmad Maslan (Deputy Finance Minister Datuk Ahmad Maslan) or Husni (Second Finance Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Husni Hanadzlah)?” Bayan Baru Member of Parliament (MP) Sim Tze Tzin told reporters yesterday.

Sim said the written answers from the MoF could have been prepared by either one of them.

Last night, Ahmad Husni told Parliament in his winding-up speech during the debate on the royal address that Tanjong plc, which is controlled by the tycoon, had helped rope in “private investors” to come up with the money to help 1MDB pay off its RM2 billion.

His remarks contradict his ministry’s written reply on March 14 on the same issue when queried by Batu MP Tian Chua.

The ministry had said then that 1MDB’s RM2 billion debt was settled in early February with money from part of its US$2.318 billion (RM8.513 billion) Cayman Islands funds and not with the billionaire’s help.

This article first appeared in The Edge Financial Daily, on March 27, 2015.