The Public Accounts Committee never decided to wrap up its investigation into 1MDB after hearing from two more witnesses next week, PAC member Tony Pua said.
The Petaling Jaya Utara MP said this was never discussed, despite PAC chief Hasan Ariffin announcing this today.
The DAP MP said the probe should not end after testimonies by former 1MDB chief executive office Shahrol Hamli and ex-chairperson Bakke Salleh on Feb 11 and 12.
He said this is because there is still a list of other important witnesses yet to testify, including Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak, as chairperson of 1MDB board of advisors, and businessman Jho Low.
In fact, he said, the PAC under Hasan’s predecessor Nur Jazlan Mohamed had instructed the Finance Ministry to secure the attendance of Najib and Low.
“We are one of the remaining institutions still actively investigating the 1MDB scandal, and hence the Malaysian public are relying on PAC members to carry out their duties diligently without fear or favour.
“The failure of the PAC to be thorough in our investigations will not only disappoint Malaysians, it will give the perception that the PAC is biased in favour of 1MDB and the authorities,” he said in a statement.
Others Pua believes should testify include Bank Negara governor Zeti Akhtar Aziz and former 1MDB chief executive officer Mohd Hazem Abdul Rahman.
The PAC needs to hear from Zeti and relevant central bank officers on the revocation of permissions granted to 1MDB for investments abroad totalling US$1.83 million last October and its directive to 1MDB to repatriate the sum, he said.
“Bank Negara’s testimony will offer crucial information on the alleged offences, if any, leading to the above unprecedented actions against 1MDB,” he said.
Hazem’s testimony as important, he said, because it was on his watch that 1MDB raise US$3 billion through bonds via Goldman Sachs for a joint venture with Abu Dhabi’s Aaabar Investment PJS which never materialised.
Half of the proceeds of the bonds were invested overseas after the JV fell through, under while Hazem was CEO from March 2013 to January 2015, he said.
“In addition, Hazem was responsible for the purchase of the RM1.2 billion of encumbered land in Penang and the failure of the initial public offering of 1MDB’s energy arm,” Pua said.
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