PAS lawmakers deny party kept mum on 1MDB during BN rule

PARLIAMENT | PAS lawmakers have defended the party against accusations that they were silent on the 1MDB issue during BN's administration.

Awang Hashim (PAS-Pendang) and Ahmad Fadhli Shaari (PAS-Pasir Mas) insisted that PAS did call for an investigation into 1MDB back when BN was still in power.

"PAS called for a Royal Commission of Inquiry (RCI) on March 26, 2018.

"Do not falsely accuse PAS," said Ahmad Fadhli in the Dewan Rakyat today.

He was responding to Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Hanipa Maidin who had questioned why PAS did not call for anyone to be charged back then.

Hanipa was actually answering Nik Abduh Nik Abdul Aziz (PAS-Bachok), who had questioned the "morals" of the new attorney-general compared to his predecessors, for withdrawing the case against Finance Minister Lim Guan Eng.

"If the previous attorney-general had morals, why were there no charges related to 1MDB while BN was in power and why did PAS not call for anyone to be charged?" Hanipa asked.

After Ahmad Fadhli defended PAS, Awang also stood up to further deny Hanipa's claims against the Islamist party.

"On March 26, 2018, PAS had stressed that an RCI on 1MDB should be formed, which was published by Malaysiakini on March 26, 2018, so it is not right to say PAS was in cahoots (with BN).

"Do not make such accusations," Awang said.

Hanipa attempted to respond to Awang, saying that he could provide many examples where PAS gave BN space when it came to 1MDB, but Awang kept interrupting Hanipa as several other PAS lawmakers also stood up to speak.

"That is an accusation, this is fact," Awang said, as he waved a printout paper of the March 26, 2018 article in the air.  - Mkini