We have enough information to conclude 1MDB probe, says PAC

The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) says there is no need for more witnesses in its investigations into 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB). – Reuters pic, February 9, 2016.The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) has enough information to make an "objective, transparent and fair conclusion" on its probe into the 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB) scandal, said its chairman Datuk Hasan Arifin.

He said the committee did need not call any more witnesses for its probe as suggested by fellow PAC member Tony Pua.

Pua had wanted Bank Negara Malaysia governor Tan Sri Zeti Akhtar Aziz and former 1MDB chief executive officer Mohd Hazem Abdul Rahman to testify to the committee.

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

Issues brought up by Bank Negara concerning 1MDB had already been explained in the media and in the attorney-general’s own press statements, he said. 

"Proceedings on 1MDB have been long drawn out since May 2015 and based on my assessment, the information on the nine proceedings are enough for PAC to make an objective, transparent and fair conclusion," said Hasan.

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

PAC also needed time to study the auditor-general’s report on 1MDB, slated to come out on February 24 and 25.

The AG's report would be a main reference for PAC’s own conclusions which will be tabled in the Dewan Rakyat, Hasan said.

In an earlier statement, Hasan said PAC only needed the testimonies of two other witnesses before it wrapped up investigations – 1MDB president and chief executive officer Datuk Shahrol Azral Ibrahim Halmi and former chairman Tan Sri Mohd Bakke Salleh on February 11 and 12.

In response to this, Pua had argued that PAC needed to call other witnesses as well, such as Mohd Hazem and Zeti.

Under its previous chairperson Datuk Nur Jazlan Mohamed, PAC had also formally requested for the Finance Ministry to secure the attendance of businessman Low Taek Jho as well as Datuk Seri Najib Razak, the chairman of 1MDB's board of advisors, Pua said.

"Tony Pua can raise this matter in future PAC proceedings and it will be up to the other PAC members to agree," Hasan said.

"If they do, it could delay the process of concluding the probe and jeopardise my aim of tabling our findings in the March Dewan Rakyat sitting." – February 9, 2016.