KUALA LUMPUR (July 27): Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Datuk Seri Abdul Wahid Omar said the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) and special task force investigating 1Malaysia Development Fund (1MDB) must be allowed to undertake the task without "fear and favour".

The task force investigating 1MDB comprises Bank Negara Malaysia, Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) and the police.

Abdul Wahid said all parties in the government and private spheres had to give space for the on-going investigations into 1MDB by the PAC and task force, while lending support to the Malaysian economy.

"It is important that we pay our respective roles. We must allow investigations (by the two bodies) to continue, without fear and favour.

"For the rest of us, it is important for us to remain focused on the task at hand. On my part, I will work with ministers to execute the 11MP (11th Malaysia Plan). Leave it to the respective people to do their parts professionally, so that Malaysia can grow," Wahid told reporters, after witnessing the signing ceremony between AirAsia Bhd and Destini Aviation Sdn Bhd on their collaboration for maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) services.

Wahid said this, after the Home Affairs Ministry suspended the publishing permits of The Edge Malaysia business and investment weekly (Edge Weekly) and The Edge Financial Daily for three months, starting today (July 27).

The Edge Media Group said in a statement that a letter from the ministry stated the two publications' reporting of 1MDB were "prejudicial or likely to be prejudicial to public order, security or likely to alarm public opinion, or is likely to be prejudicial to public and national interest."

According to The Edge Media Group, the ministry's letter stated that failure to stop publication for three months will result in the withdrawal of the publishing permits.