1MDB – I will stick to the facts

I am truly intrigued by P Gunasegaram's continued personal attacks on me, his questioning of my "scrotal gumption" and his hollow "debate challenge".

By not having the gumption to say "balls" as I did when questioning his lack thereof, it exposes him to be the deceitful person that he is with a major chip on his shoulder.

It is not my intention to belittle or mock Gunasegaram. In fact, since he published his personal attacks on me, I have received multiple phone calls and WhatsApp messages from many current and former senior journalists in KL, including personal friends of Gunasegaram, who tell me, in his defence, that he is a "passed over Major", i.e. a man who is frustrated by his prior lack of promotion in the journalistic ranks.

They also, in his defence, tell me that he is now a very bitter man, especially after the public failure of the Kinibiz venture and his embarrassing ability to secure crowd-funding.

Gunasegaram's lack of objectivity, twisted logic and liberal use of unproven allegations is so evident in the two, sloppily written, and obviously, one-sided articles attacking me.

Since I took over 1MDB in January 2015, the following have been achieved:

• Transparency: the company has become much more open, transparent and accessible, both to the media and to the public.
   
• Cooperation: full assistance and cooperation have been provided to investigators from Bank Negara, the National Audit Department, the Public Accounts Committee and the Royal Malaysian Police.
   
• Massive debt reduction: 1MDB debts have been massively reduced from RM50 billion to RM31 billion.
   
• No short-term loans: all short-term loans and bank debt have been fully repaid with RM43 billion of long-term assets now fully backing RM31 billion of long-term debt.
  
  
   
• TRX a success: the Exchange 106 tower in TRX will be the tallest tower in Malaysia upon completion in 2018. International investors such as HSBC and Prudential have collectively committed billions of ringgit to their headquarters in TRX. Lendlease, one of the most well-respected global property developers is in a joint venture with TRX to develop 17 acres of land.
   
• 30,000 high-income jobs will be generated in TRX, upon completion, with RM3 billion being spent on infrastructure in and around TRX.
   
• Bandar Malaysia (above) relocation completed: practically all of the eight new and upgraded bases for the air force and police with 1MDB as the developer and LTAT as the contractor are now completed thereby paving the way for the development of Bandar Malaysia.
   
• 200,000 high-income jobs will be generated in Bandar Malaysia, which will be a premier transport-oriented development and will house the terminus of the KL-Singapore High-Speed Rail link.

I am sure that Gunasegaram, as a paid hack, is now rubbing his hands in glee and is getting ready to type out yet another personal attack against me.

For my part, even though I am more than capable, I have no desire to engage further with him, and what more, debate with him. I am reminded of Michelle Obama's words: "When they go low, we go high".

My time is better spent on my job i.e. to implement the successful 1MDB rationalisation plan and to continue giving clear, concrete and direct answers to those who really matter, i.e the people of Malaysia.

I will stick to the facts and base my answers on company documents. I will not resort to personal attacks that he and his support system are espousing.

There is an oft-quoted saying, "Those who can, do, those who can't, criticise". I will leave it to Malaysiakini readers to make their own determinations, accordingly.

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ARUL KANDA KANDASAMY is 1MDB chief executive officer. - Mkini