PAC suspends 1MDB probe

(FMT) – The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) will suspend its investigations into 1MDB until the courts have ruled on cases linked to the scandal-plagued state investment fund.

“Even though a motion was approved by the Dewan Rakyat for investigations to be re-opened, it has to be postponed because of the court cases.

“This is our stand,” PAC chairman Ronald Kiandee said at the Dewan Rakyat lobby, here, this evening.

The Beluran MP also said that he had informed the Speaker Mohamad Ariff Md Yusof of the decision.

In August, the PAC and the auditor-general (A-G) agreed to reopen investigations into 1MDB.

Former prime minister Najib Razak and his wife were recently charged with criminal breach of trust and money laundering, among others, over 1MDB and former 1MDB subsidiary, SRC International.

On a related matter, Kiandee said that PAC would proceed with its investigation into the audit report on 1MDB which was tabled in Parliament on March 2016.

The committee, he said, would probe if there were any constraints and obstacles that prevented the National Audit Department from scrutinising 1MDB, or if there were any changes made to the facts presented in the report prior to it being tabled a couple of years ago.

Kiandee said that they had spoken to the attorney-general about the matter.

“It will not interfere with the 1MDB court cases.”

He also revealed that former A-G Ambrin Buang would be the first witness in the proceedings.