Parliament must debate 1MDB after Malay rulers’ statement, says DAP

DAP parliamentary leader Lim Kit Siang wants the Dewan Rakyat to set aside two days to debate the issues revolving 1Malaysia Development Berhad. – The Malaysian Insider file pic, October 7, 2015. 

The Dewan Rakyat must set aside two days to debate the problems concerning 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB), as the Malay rulers have made known their views about the state investment firm, says DAP.

Its parliamentary leader, Lim Kit Siang, today said this must be done when Parliament convenes on October 19 as the concerns expressed by the rulers were the same as the public – debt ridden 1MDB, the state of rule of law and frayed national unity in the country.

He also asked whether the prime minister and the Cabinet will announce a new plan of action to dispel doubts about Putrajaya's sincerity in fixing these problems and answering questions on 1MDB.

The Conference of Rulers yesterday released a statement urging the government to complete the probe into 1MDB and take appropriate action against those implicated. 

"The failure to give convincing clarifications and answers is feared to have resulted in a crisis of confidence,” they said on 1MDB.

Lim said the nation applauded the statement by the rulers and urged Parliament to set aside two days to debate the concerns raised.

"Can Malaysians expect a statement from the Cabinet on the Malay rulers' statement after the regular Wednesday meeting of the ministers?" he added.

1MDB was the focus of a task force that was investigating alleged wrongdoing in the debt-ridden firm as well as the transfer of RM2.6 billion to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak's accounts.

The unit has since been rebranded into the multi-agency National Revenue Recovery Enforcement Team to probe a range of financial crimes, but not specifically focused on 1MDB. 

1MDB had also been under investigation by the Public Accounts Committee (PAC), which has received an interim report on the troubled firm's books from the national auditors.

But the PAC probe is temporarily stuck pending new appointments of a chairman and other members.

- TMI