DAP’s Lim Kit Siang wants to know who had approved 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) CEO Arul Kanda Kandasamy and former CEO Datuk Shahrul Ibrahim Halmi skipping the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) hearing scheduled today.
He said since the Finance Ministry has written to the PAC informing of the duo’s absence from the hearing, Finance Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak or the second Finance Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Husni Muhd Hanadzlah must answer.
“Who approved their ponteng day,” he asked in a statement today.
“Did Najib as Prime Minister or Finance Minister have knowledge that the duo would play truant from the PAC hearing scheduled today, and did he, if not who, gave the ‘green-light” for the duo to play truant from the PAC hearing today?,” he questioned.
Shahrul Ibrahim was 1MDB’s first CEO from February 2009 until March 2013, while Arul Kanda was appointed in January this year.
READ: 1MDB: PAC to start probe on May 19
“Have Arul and Sharom good reasons for playing truant from the scheduled PAC hearing on the 1MDB scandal today, when the duo had been given more than two weeks’ notice of the hearing?,” Lim questioned in a statement today.
He also questioned why wasn’t the PAC informed immediately if the duo could not attend the hearing as they had received the PAC requisition on May 6.
The PAC was only informed via a letter from the Finance Ministry on May 22 that the duo could not attend as they had overseas appointment.
READ: PAC postpones session with 1MDB CEOs
The Gelang Patah member of Parliament also demanded to know where were the duo now and what were the overseas appointments.
“Couldn’t these overseas appointments be rescheduled to give priority to their appearance before the PAC,” he questioned.
“One would have thought that Najib, and in particular, the 1MDB Board, would have welcomed the PAC scheduled hearing today to put to rest all doubts and queries about integrity, transparency and good corporate governance which had been haunting the government,” he said.
He said all eyes will be on the Cabinet meeting on Friday and to whether the ministers are prepared to accept collective responsibility for the 1MDB scandal – and if the 1MDB Board would be sacked.
Yesterday, PAC chairman Datuk Nur Jazlan Mohamed said the duo were given one month's extension and promised that the postponement did not mean that the investigation proceedings on 1MDB will be delayed.
READ:1MDB: All Cabinet members should bear responsibility - Ku Li
READ: It's a crime to lie about 1MDB funds in Singapore bank - Tun M
1MDB had been under the spotlight over the last few months after various quarters had alleged mismanagement of funds and poor investments by the government-owned strategic development company.
Astro Awani
Tue May 26 2015
Lim Kit Siang questioned what were the reasons for 1MDB's Arul Kanda Kandasamy and Datuk Shahrul Ibrahim Halmi to skip the PAC hearing.
PRK Kuala Kubu Baharu: Kelayakan akademik bukan isu calon PN - Pas
Kempen PN sempena PRK Kuala Kubu Baharu tidak akan terjejas berikutan isu yang mengaitkan kelayakan akademik calonnya, Khairul Azhari Saut.
Peniaga nasi kukus raih jualan RM14,000 sebulan
Inisiatif Pendapatan Rakyat (IPR) mampu merubah graf pendapatan bulanan peserta apabila meningkatkan hasil jualan.
Piala Uber: Malaysia tewas kepada Taiwan
Malaysia memulakan kempen Kumpulan B Piala Uber 2024 mereka dengan langkah kiri apabila tewas 1-4 kepada Taiwan, di sini hari ini.
Imigresen tahan dalang warga Indonesia, jual produk kosmetik tanpa kelulusan KKM
Jabatan Imigresen menahan seorang wanita warga Indonesia berusia 50 tahun disyaki menjadi dalang penjualan produk kosmetik dan kecantikan yang tidak mendapat kelulusan KKM.
Sheriff: 9 hari tayangan, kaut RM28 juta!
Filem arahan Syafiq Yusof, Sheriff: Narko Intergriti kini meraih kutipan sebanyak RM28 juta dalam 9 hari tayangan.
Jaheaik sudah panggil artis wanita tular buat persembahan - Exco
Jaheaik sudah panggil artis wanita tular buat persembahan - Exco
KidDin bergabung jawab segala isu Konsert Search 'Gemuruh'
KONSERT Search 'Gemuruh' nampaknya semakin diperkatakan disebabkan beberapa isu yang ditimbulkan sehari dua ini.
Penunjuk perasaan Palestin tempelak wartawan AS
Mereka menuduh wartawan A.S sembunyikan dan berikan gambaran salah mengenai perang di Gaza.
Lawatan ke Riyadh: Blinken melawat Arab Saudi esok
Setiausaha Negara Amerika Syarikat, Antony Blinken akan melawat Arab Saudi pada Isnin untuk bertemu dengan rakan serantau dan membincangkan usaha mencapai gencatan senjata di Gaza dan pembebasan tebusan Israel.
Iraq lulus akta penjara maksimum 15 tahun
Parlimen Iraq meluluskan undang-undang yang menjenayahkan hubungan sejenis dengan hukuman penjara maksimum 15 tahun pada Sabtu.
Kes 1MDB: Najib percaya Blackstone dikawal Arab Saudi, Raja Abdullah - Saksi
Saksi memberitahu Najib percaya bahawa syarikat Blackstone Asia Real Estate Partners dikawal oleh kerajaan Arab Saudi dan Raja Arab Saudi.
1MDB: Prosiding Najib julung kali dibuat pada Sabtu
Perbicaraan pertama dibuat pada hujung minggu ini berlangsung tepat jam 8.30 pagi, selepas bekas Perdana Menteri itu dibawa pihak berkuasa dengan menaiki kenderaan dari Jabatan Penjara.
'Kementerian Kewangan tiada rekod surat kelulusan Najib bagi 1MDB ambil alih Tanjong Energy, Genting Sanyen' - Saksi
Dalam siasatan SPRM, Kementerian Kewangan mengesahkan tidak mempunyai rekod ke atas kedua-dua surat tersebut.
Najib diberi peluang jelaskan mengenai dokumen 1MDB ketika disoal siasat - Pegawai SPRM
Mahkamah Tinggi diberitahu bahawa Najib diberi peluang untuk menjelaskan secara terperinci mengenai dokumen berkaitan 1MDB, ketika disoal siasat.
Najib tak pernah arah pengurusan 1MDB pindah AS$1.03 bilion kepada syarikat Jho Low - Saksi
Mahkamah Tinggi diberitahu bahawa Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak tidak pernah mengarahkan mana-mana individu daripada pengurusan 1MDB untuk memindahkan AS$1.03 bilion kepada syarikat Jho low.
Tidak penting untuk tanya jika Najib arah AS$700 juta dipindah kepada syarikat Jho Low - Saksi
Saksi itu berkata demikian ketika disoal oleh peguam Wan Azwan Aiman Wan Fakhruddin berhubung transaksi yang dilakukan pada September 2009.
1MDB: Mahkamah akan tentukan sama ada pendakwaan berjaya buktikan kes - Hakim
Muhammad Shafee berhujah bahawa pertuduhan terhadap anak guamnya adalah salah serta bertindih.
1MDB: SPRM ke Riyadh untuk sahkan surat derma RM2.6 bilion - Saksi
Penguasa Kanan SPRM Nur Aida Arifin berkata pihaknya telah pergi ke Istana Riyadh pada 2015 bagi mengadakan pertemuan dengan dua putera Arab Saudi.
1MDB: Najib tak dedah mengenai pertemuan dengan Raja Arab Saudi ketika siasatan - Saksi
Najib tidak memaklumkan kepada SPRM mengenai pertemuan delegasi Malaysia bersama Raja Arab Saudi, Almarhum Raja Abdullah Abdul Aziz Al-Saud.
1MDB: Muhammad Shafee ditegur hakim kerana bersikap 'keterlaluan'
Ketua peguam bela yang mewakili Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak ditegur apabila dilihat menyerang kredibiliti pengawai penyiasat Suruhanjaya Pencegahan Rasuah Malaysia (SPRM) ketika perbicaraan.