Minister: Only Arul Kanda, Johari authorised to talk on 1MDB

Mustapa Mohamad says they are the only ones authorised by the Federal Government to speak about the company’s affairs.

(FMT) – Only 1MDB president Arul Kanda Kandasamy and Finance Minister II Johari Abdul Ghani will be spokesmen for the Federal Government about the affairs of 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB).

International trade minister Mustapa Mohamed, who revealed this, said Arul Kanda would play an important part in the information campaign coordinated by Johari.

Mustapha was quoted by the New Sunday Times as saying that the two men would have accurate information as the 1MDB issue involves legal, financial and business matters.

“Those who are not involved may not understand. Arul is ready to go around the country to give talks,” he added.

The information campaign is aimed at briefing 1.4 million civil servants. Umno MPs were briefed on Friday and senior civil servants had attended a briefing before that, he said.

The information campaign is being carried out in the wake of a complaint filed by the US Justice Department, which seeks the forfeiture of US$1 billion in assets said to have been acquired from funds embezzled from 1MDB.

1MDB has said that all its funds were accounted for. However, the government-owned company is involved in a dispute with its former joint venture partner PetroSaudi International over a loan repayment which has now gone into arbitration in London.