PAC to consider more witnesses after getting 1MDB audit report

Public Accounts Committee (PAC) chairman Datuk Hasan Arifin says the committee wants to see the auditor-general's report on 1MDB before deciding whether to call more witnesses. – The Malaysian Insider file pic, February 11, 2016.The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) said it would consider calling more witnesses in its hearing on 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB), but only after seeing the auditor-general's final report on the company.

"After the auditor-general's final report is tabled to us, if there is an absolute need for PAC to get more information in order to prepare the report on 1MDB for Parliament, only then we will consider calling more witnesses," PAC chairman Datuk Hasan Arifin said in a statement today, after hearing testimonies from former 1MDB president Datuk Shahrol Halmi and the company’s ex-chairman, Tan Sri Mohd Bakke Salleh.

Hasan had said the duo were PAC's final witnesses, adding that the committee had enough information to make an objective, transparent and fair conclusion of its investigations into 1MDB.

Today, PAC said its priority was to be briefed on the audit report and to prepare a report for Parliament in a transparent and fair manner.

The committee also said the public should not doubt PAC's report, as it was made up of members from all parties including the opposition.

Earlier, PAC member Tony Pua said Bank Negara Malaysia governor Tan Sri Zeti Akhtar Aziz and former 1MDB chief executive officer Mohd Hazem Abdul Rahman should also testify to the committee.

But Hasan said Hazem's testimony was not needed as issues during his tenure had already been answered by 1MDB chairman Tan Sri Lodin Wok Kamaruddin at earlier proceedings.

Hasan also said he wanted PAC to wrap up its probe so he could table its findings at the next Dewan Rakyat meeting in March.

The PAC probe into 1MDB has been going on since May 2015. – February 11, 2016.