PKR de facto leader Anwar Ibrahim wants the rights and privileges committee hearing, to which he is being referred, to be made public so that the details of 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB) can be discussed in the open.

Anwar said attempts by the BN MPs to refer him and DAP’s Tony Pua to the committee for “factual errors” supposedly made in their speeches on 1MDB were an attempt to take the issue for discussion “behind closed doors”.

Such committee hearings are normally held behind closed doors.

“I have got no problem with them referring me. In fact, I think this is a great opportunity for me and Tony Pua to go further with this 1MDB issue,” Anwar told reporters in the Parliament lobby.

“What they are trying to do is to bring it from an open debate in Parliament to behind closed doors. So, I will urge the speaker to make this proceeding public, in the House, so we that can debate,” he said.

Yesterday, PKR’s Pandan MP Rafizi Ramli moved a motion to refer Deputy Finance Minister Ahmad Maslan to the same committee for “misleading” the House on the 1MDB support letter controversy.

Answer queries on 1MDB, Najib urged

Anwar also called on Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak, who started 1MDB and sits on its board of directors, to come to the Parliament and start answering questions about 1MDB's transactions.

"Najib should start clearing the air on this matter. Issues like this should not be delegated," he said.

"This is the biggest liability and private investment Malaysia has ever made."

Anwar said that the prospect of facing the parliamentary committee does not deter him, as he had been suspended from the House several times before.

Instead of referring him to the committee, the government should have answered his questions first.

"Answer the questions first. There are so many unanswered questions about 1MDB. We are asking questions about 1MDB," Anwar said.

"We are not privy to the facts. The ministry has the facts. So they should answer us. They should correct us."

Related stories

 
When a letter of support is not a letter of support

Pua dares BN to muzzle him on 1MDB

Wireless Village 1Malaysia facility 'is useless'