Now that PKR Pandan MP Rafizi Ramli has been chosen to take on 1MDB boss Arul Kanda Kandasamy in a debate on the troubled state-owned firm, a minister said today the debate should be allowed to go ahead.

Agriculture and Agro-based Industries Minister Ahmad Shabery Cheek said he was confident 1MDB had nothing to fear in answering any question directed at it.

“I believe that Arul Kanda has the ability to handle it. In short, 1MDB has nothing to be scared about,” he told reporters after attending a National Flood Disaster and Haze Management Committee meeting in Kuala Lumpur today.

Asked whether Arul Kanda should accept Rafizi's nomination, Ahmad Shabery said he should. “It’s subject to Arul... but yes, I think he should.”

Ahmad Shabery went on to take a swipe at PJ Utara MP Tony Pua for withdrawing from the debate after having issued the challenge in the first place.

“Pua was keen on it the last time, so why ask another person to do the job?” he asked.

Pua last week offered to host a live talk show with Arul Kanda, during which the duo would discuss 1MDB, but Arul Kanda said he would only accept if Pua resigns as a PAC member.

However, the 1MDB president withdrew his condition later and agreed to the debate that RTM offered to telecast live.

Following this, Pandikar ordered Pua, an MP from DAP, to either resign from the PAC or withdraw from the committee's investigation into 1MDB if he wanted to debate with Arul Kanda.

The live coverage of the 1MDB debate, slated for tomorrow, was to be aired by RTM but Communications and Multimedia Minister Salleh Said Keruak called it off yesterday, saying Pua was no longer in the debate.

Following this, Pakatan Harapan today announced that Rafizi would be replacing Pua in the debate.

Flood briefings open to all

On his meeting earlier, Ahmad Shabery said federal opposition MPs could join in on flood situation briefings conducted by government agencies.

“We will invite everyone. It’s okay for (opposition MPs) to join, what’s wrong?” he responded when asked whether Pakatan Harapan MPs could participate.

According to Ahmad Shabery, today's meeting was aimed at preparing for the seasonal floods during the year-end monsoon.

Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi had earlier announced that Ahmad Shabery would be in charge of providing flood situation briefings to MPs and district officers.

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