Rafizi not surprised Arul not ‘brave enough’ to debate him
Rafizi also tells 1MDB chief to stop hiding behind the Speaker by suggesting that he replace Tony Pua in the PAC so the latter is free to debate him
(Free Malaysia Today) – Opposition MP Rafizi Ramli has said that while he was not surprised Arul Kanda Kandasamy was “not brave enough” to debate him on 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB), it was also not right for the latter to hide behind the Dewan Rakyat Speaker.
Commenting on Arul’s unwillingness to go ahead with the debate now, Rafizi said, “I’m not surprised when Arul says that he does not want to do it (debate Rafizi), but don’t hide behind the Speaker.
“The Speaker’s ruling was clear: the main concern was that a Public Accounts Committee (PAC) member cannot be involved in the debate. Tony Pua ((DAP-Petaling Jaya Utara) asked a very specific question in the Dewan and we got the answer,” Rafizi said.
With Pua having backed off, Rafizi also noted that the Speaker had said that he had no power to stop a non-PAC member from participating in the debate.
“We expected this. What they (the government) did not take into account was that there would be a reserve.
Rafizi was referring to himself being named as the replacement for Pua to debate Arul on 1MDB.
“It is obvious that he (Arul) agreed beforehand just to get rid of Tony Pua from the PAC. Now that they are in this position, he cannot say that he is a professional and that he does not want to get involved in the debate,” Rafizi argued.
Rafizi also said that the debate was neither personal nor a “show”, and that it had a RM50 billion financial bearing on the people.
“He (Arul) must remember that 1MDB issued bonds that were held by KWSP, Tabung Haji and such. These are questions that every Malaysian wants to know (the answers to) because it is our money that is stuck with 1MDB.”
