1MDB's top executives may escape testifying before the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) next week after Dewan Rakyat deputy speaker Ronald Kiandee said the committee should consult house speaker Pandikar Amin Mulia before proceeding.

This is after four of eight BN MPs in the committee, including its chief Nur Jazlan Mohamed, was appointed into the government on Tuesday.

“The PAC now should seek the opinion of the Speaker before proceeding. The Speaker is the custodian of Parliament after all," Ronald was quoting as saying by The Star .

Ronald cited Standing Order 82(1), which said “every select committee shall be so far as practicable, the balance between the parties within the House is reflected in the committee”.

As it stands, the PAC now has four BN MPs and five opposition MPs.

The remaining PAC members, primarily from the opposition which controls the vice-chairperson position, have vowed to press on with next week's hearing.

Attempt to block PAC's probe

Current and former 1MDB chief executives Shahrul Ibrahim Halmi, Mohd Hazem Abdul Rahman, and Arul Kanda Kandasamy ( photo ), are due to testify on Aug 4, Aug 5, and Aug 6 respectively.

The appointments have been criticised as an attempt to block the PAC's probe into 1MDB.

Ronald admitted that this was the first time PAC members were co-opted into the government.

The appointments coincided with the sacking of attorney-general Abdul Gani Patail who was involved in a separate investigation on 1MDB led by the special task force.

The special task force, comprising the police, Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission and Bank Negara, is also looking at claims that RM2.6 billion was deposited into Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak's private bank accounts.

Najib had denied taking any government funds for personal gain.

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