SG BESAR POLLS 1MDB president and executive director Arul Kanda Kandasamy was in Sungai Besar today in an attempt to dispel the controversy surrounding the allegation-riddled firm.

He was invited to speak on national issues at an event organised by the Prime Minister's Department.

BN candidate Budiman Mohd Zohdi was also present, although the two did not share the stage.

Asked if he was here to campaign for the by-election, Arul Kanda declined to comment before leaving the venue.

During the question-and-answer session earlier, Arul Kanda denied that the goods and services tax (GST) as well as the RM2.6 billion donation into Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak's personal accounts were linked to 1MDB.

"GST was not introduced to cover for 1MDB's debts.

"The auditor-general and the Public Accounts Committee have found no evidence which linked the RM2.6 billion donation to 1MDB," he said in response to questions from civil servants who attended the event.

Arul Kanda also urged the audience not to be fooled by the opposition, who were constantly attacking the government on 1MDB.

Meanwhile, the event's organisers denied that the talk was held to coincide with the Sungai Besar by-election.

They said they had been planning this for a while, and that today was the only date when all the speakers could attend.

Besides Arul Kanda, the other speakers were National Civic Bureau (BTN) chief Ibrahim Saad and police counter-terrorism senior assistant director Ayob Khan Mydin Pitchay.