Pua: Leadership change made PAC's 1MDB probe challenging

Opposition lawmakers in the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) found it more challenging after the top person was replaced, claimed DAP MP Tony Pua.

He was asked if there was a change in direction in PAC after Rompin MP Hasan Arifin was appointed as the new chief, replacing Nur Jazlan Mohamed, who was promoted to deputy home minister.

"It was... How to say it without offending people," Pua paused as he pondered on the right words during a press conference.

"It (1MDB's probe) was not diverted, PAC still had the mandate to investigate. But perhaps it was harder for people on my side of the fence to push for things to be done.

"Previously, the chairperson (Nur Jazlan) would listen to both sides, (he would) accept recommendations by both sides," he said.

With Hasan at the helm, Pua said the lawmakers had to push harder.

He also revealed that Nur Jazlan had agreed to call billionaire Jho Low, who is implicated in the 1MDB fiasco, while Hasan did not call him.

"Jho Low was asked to testify before the PAC chaired by Nur Jazlan, but after the new chairman came in, he refused to call the billionaire.

"We (the opposition) didn't pursue the matter because there were other matters to attend to," he added.

Hasan also refused to call 1MDB chief operating officer Mohd Hazem Abdul Rahman and Bank Negara Malaysia, he said.

He stressed the importance of summoning the central bank as a witness as this would allow PAC to gain more details on the ownership of Good Star, which received US$700 million from 1MDB.

"The auditor-general was unable to establish who owns Good Star; the only document was a PetroSaudi's letter given to us by 1MDB. It claimed Good Star was a PetroSaudi's subsidiary," he said.

"But there was no (other) documentary evidence (to prove this)," he added.

Thus, he said he was only 80 percent satisfied with the contents of the PAC's report into 1MDB.

He promises to reveal the relevant contents not picked up by the report in another press conference. -Mkini