Deputy Finance Minister Ahmad Maslan has been urged to explain the usage of an RM540 million loan given to 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB) by ministry-owned Export-Import Bank of Malaysia (Exim Bank).

In making the call today, Tony Pua (DAP-Petaling Jaya Utara) noted that Ahmad's colleague, Deputy Finance Chua Tee Yong, did not deny in the Dewan Rakyat on Monday that the loan was used to purchase a plot of land in Pulau Indah.

"But when I asked yesterday, Ahmad said the loan was meant for energy export and a power plant," Pua said.

"We have clear-cut information with the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) that the loan was given to purchase land," he said.

If the loan was in fact used for land purchase in Pulau Indah, he added, that would be in violation of the mandate of Exim Bank, which was established to provide loans for international trade and certain investments.

Ahmad ( photo ) had promised to provide a written answer on the usage of the RM540 Exim Bank million loan, secured through a letter of support from the government, Pua said.

"However, I have yet to get a copy of the reply. I hope Ahmad can furnish it before the sitting ends today," he told a press conference at the Parliament lobby.

Serious info, not misleading

He cautioned Ahmad, who is also Umno information chief, to be serious about providing the answer on an important matter.

"I also hope Ahmad will not be a victim himself by having to apologise a second time in the Dewan Rakyat for providing misleading information," Pua said.

On Nov 18, 2014, Ahmad was forced to apologise and retract his words in the House for denying that a letter of guarantee was given to 1MDB for its subsidiary, 1MDB Global Investment Ltd, to raise a US$3 billion bond.

Poking fun at 1MDB, Pua said the wholly-owned company of the Finance Ministry was in such a state that even a bank owned by the same ministry needed a letter of support to provide 1MDB with a loan.

Pua ( photo ) alleged that it was a double bailout - to save 1MDB and Tadmax Resources Bhd, the party which sold land to 1MDB.

"The support letter was meant to bail out Tadmax, which was headed by Abdul Azim Zabidi, who was the former Umno treasurer, and CEO Faizal Abdullah, the deputy chief of Kapar Umno division," Pua had said at Parliament on Monday.

Pua had also alleged that 1MDB overpaid Tadmax by 120 percent for the land, as the land valuation done by Tadmax on August 2011 showed that the land was worth RM9.93 per square foot, but the deal was struck at RM21.80 per square foot.

But Chua denied the land was overpriced as the valuation was done by an independent company.