Opposition MPs say Putrajaya trying to ban 1MDB questions in Parliament

Kuala Terengganu MP Datuk Raja Kamarul Bahrin Shah says his questions on 1MDB and its precursor the Terengganu Investment Authority (TIA) were rejected. – The Malaysian Insider file pic, October 19, 2015.

Opposition lawmakers today said Putrajaya was working on imposing a blackout on questions about state-owned investor 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB)‎ in Dewan Rakyat.

They said that many questions submitted on the firm's dealing and alleged scandals, as well as its links with Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak, have been rejected in chambers with frivolous reasons.

"This is consistent with a blanket blackout ‎on 1MDB questions. This is what we are worried about," Kuala Terengganu MP Datuk Raja Kamarul Bahrin Shah told a press conference at the Parliament lobby today.

"I had asked the federal government if it is true that they used Terengganu's income from oil and gas as collateral when the Terengganu Investment Authority (TIA) was set up but my question was rejected on the basis that it is under the state."

TIA, the precursor to 1MDB,  was formed in 2008 to manage and invest royalties from the state's petroleum resources. It was reorganised to become 1MDB in 2009 after Najib became prime minister that year.

Kelana Jaya MP Wong Chen (PKR) said Raja Kamarul's question was only one of many on 1MDB that was rejected by the speaker.

"We see a consistent pattern in this. The reasons are given but they are debatable. This is such a big matter and our questions are being rejected," he said.

Wong (pic, left) had asked for the statement of account of Yayasan Rakyat 1Malaysia (YR1M), especially on the RM190 million donated by Genting Group.

The Wall Street Journal had previously reported that debt-ridden 1MDB had indirectly supported Najib's election campaign by purchasing power assets from Genting Group in 2012 for five times more than its worth.

Rejecting this, Speaker Tan Sri Pandikar Amin Mulia said it was something to do with the minister's position.

Genting allegedly donated part of the earnings to the YR1M foundation controlled by Najib.

WSJ said YR1M then announced several charity projects that Najib later brought up during his campaign.

Alor Star MP, Gooi Hsiao Loong said the reasons given in rejecting the questions were unacceptable as there was an ongoing investigation into the fund.

"Parliament is supposed to be an independent body. It is supposed to be independent from the executive," the PKR lawmaker said.

Gooi had three questions rejected, including one on whether the Attorney-General's Chambers had contacted the US State Department over an alleged probe by the FBI against prime minister, as reported by the New York Times.

The reason for rejecting this question was that a question on whether statements or newspaper reports were accurate or not shall not be asked.

This was also the reason given when the Alor Star MP submitted a question on whether a sum of RM42 million was transferred from Ihsan Perdana Sdn Bhd to Najib's private account, as reported by WSJ.

- TMI