(July 24): DAP today questioned if Datuk Abdul Rahman Dahlan was attempting to divert attention from the prime minister by accusing the opposition of making “wild accusations”.

Its national publicity chief, Tony Pua, took issue with Rahman's latest posting on Facebook where the Barisan Nasional strategic communications director accused the opposition of being reckless in making “wild accusations” against Putrajaya.

Rahman, in his latest move to defend 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB), said this could affect the economic stability of the country.

He went on to cite that the DAP lawmaker’s remarks made against Tan Sri Syed Mokhtar Al-Bukhary were similar to his allegations against debt-ridden 1MDB.

Rahman, who is also minister of urban wellbeing, housing and local government, said Pua had written several articles in his blog, just before the 13th general election that Syed Mokhtar's business debt of RM34.3 billion could "genuinely cause fears of bailouts with taxpayer money".

“I am responding to him now asking, what is wrong with my statement?  

“The debts are huge and some of his companies such as Proton are desperately seeking support, directly or indirectly from the government," Pua said in a statement today.

He said even without a crisis, the people were suffering from high prices due to the monopoly of the rice and sugar trade.

He added that the public had to foot increased taxes in the form of the goods and services tax as the government had awarded many directly negotiated sweetheart deals to Syed Mokhtar’s companies, including the ultra-lucrative RM7.55 billion contract to supply of armoured personnel carriers.

Pua, who is also Petaling Jaya Utara MP, said he stood by everything he said on Syed Mokhtar's deals.

He added that he had been questioning the dubious 1MDB transactions since March 2010.

"Is the minister serious in suggesting that the RM42 billion indebted company isn’t doomed without a monster bailout from the federal government?

"Was I not right to argue that the mounting debt was unsustainable?" Pua said.

He added that Rahman’s move to attack the opposition after allegations that RM2.6 billion was credited into Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s personal accounts was questionable. – The Malaysian Insider