DAP supremo Lim Kit Siang has questioned the commitment of newly appointed Public Accounts Committee (PAC) chief Hasan Arifin in uncovering the truth behind 1MDB.

This was after Hasan said the issue of fellow PAC member Tony Pua's position will be discussed at the committee's next meeting, after several BN leaders questioned the latter's impartiality due to his vocal criticism of 1MDB.

"Ariffin should ask BN MPs or Umno circles who want Pua removed from PAC’s 1MDB investigations, to lodge official reports to PAC against Pua for disclosing PAC information in his statements.

"If no Umno MP or official dares to file official charges against Pua ( photo ) for disclosing PAC information in his statements and speeches, why should Arifin talk about deciding Pua's fate at the first PAC meeting he is to chair?

"This is where the question arises as to whether Arifin is acting according to the dictates of a pre-set agenda to exclude Pua from PAC’s 1MDB investigations," said Lim in a statement today.

'Hasan being watched'

Lim pointed out that Hasan's PAC predecessor Nur Jazlan Mohamed had already defended Pua, stating that the DAP lawmaker's press statements about 1MDB were not based on information from the committee but originated from other sources.

"Arifin should realise that not only Malaysians, but the informed world, is watching his every single step as PAC chairman – to determine whether he is an independent and intrepid public servant of the nation or otherwise," said Lim.

He urged Arifin to serve the 'higher' national interest over party interest in the 1MDB probe.

"Arifin should be aware that an inquiry into the 1MDB transactions is in fact an inquiry into Najib’s role in 1MDB, Najib’s most controversial brainchild.

"He should not accept his appointment as PAC chairperson if he is not prepared to rise above party interests if they conflict with national interests, such as to take a stand against the transgressions if any of the finance minister-cum-prime minister, especially as he seems to be pivotally involved in all 1MDB’s key and strategic decisions," Lim ( photo ) said.

Arifin, who is Rompin MP, was yesterday appointed to replace Nur Jazlan as PAC chief.

He had only been an MP for five months after winning the Rompin by-election in May.

Frozen for three months

The PAC's investigation into 1MDB has been frozen for three months after Najib appointed Nur Jazlan and three other committee members into the government.

On that same day, Najib also dropped Deputy Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin ( photo ) who was critical of the former's handling of 1MDB, while the attorney-general Abdul Gani Patail who was coordinating probes into the company, was sacked.

The moves were seen as an attempt to scuttle investigations into 1MDB which is struggling to repay its US$11 billion debt amid claims that funds from the company had been siphoned off.

Arifin yesterday said he will convene the PAC meeting in this Parliament sitting if he could but he needed to wait for the remaining three members to be appointed.

However, Lim urged Arifin to be proactive to expedite the PAC's meetings and complete the 1MDB probe.

"In view of the urgency and importance of the resumption of PAC investigations into 1MDB, Arifin cannot just sit and wait.

"He should either urge the selection committee to appoint the three new members in the shortest possible time - and I can see no reason why the Selection Committee cannot meet this week or latest by next week - or he should set a date for a PAC meeting by the end of this month, regardless of whether the three PAC vacancies are filled or not," said Lim.