No love or hate, just straight answers, Pua tells 1MDB chief

DAP Petaling Jaya Utara MP Tony Pua has said he neither loves nor hates 1MDB chief Arul Kanda Kandasamy, but merely wants "straight answers".

Pua said this in a Facebook post today in response to Arul 's taunts that Pua was confused about whether he loves or hates the 1MDB chief.

"Umm... I certainly don't love you, Arul, there are better men out there.

"But I don't hate you either. I just want straight answers," quipped Pua in his posting.

He then called for the public to be patient in waiting for the details of the long-awaited debate between he and Arul over the 1MDB scandal.

TV3 has offered to host the live debate, he added.

"I know everyone is eager for the details, but be patient. Our respective teams will work out the framework probably next week, and will update accordingly.

"Plus, there's a queue of debates taking place on TV3 at the moment, so we will have to wait our turn," he said.

Pua was referring to the upcoming debate between federal minister Abdul Rahman Dahlan and Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng over the Taman Manggis land issue and allegations Lim had purchased his bungalow at a price below market value.

Long-drawn duel that wasn't

TV3 has offered to host that debate, despite an earlier offer from Communications and Multimedia Minister Salleh Said Keruak for Radio Televisyen Malaysia (RTM) to host it.

Pua meanwhile first issued a challenge to Arul for a debate last year, when the public accounts committee (PAC) investigation into 1MDB's affairs was still ongoing.

However, Arul at the time issued a condition that the Petaling Jaya Utara MP resign from his post as PAC member first.

Now that the PAC investigations into 1MDB have completed, Pua has once again challenged Arul to a debate, which the 1MDB chief has accepted.

"I hereby accept the debate challenge. Bring it on!

"What is clear is that, despite him almost exclusively questioning me for two full days at the PAC (hearing), the DAP representative still wants to spend quality time with me.

"Far be it from me, to deny Pua this pleasure," Arul had replied.

However, the 1MDB chief said he hopes Pua has first "checked with the speaker of Parliament" before issuing the challenge. -Mkini