The federal government's debt undertaking for 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB) will total at t least RM20 billion, PKR's Pandan MP Rafizi Ramli claimed today.

Besides the RM 5.8 billion explicit guarantee that the government has admitted, Rafizi said, it also issued a letter of support undertaking RM9.6 billion in bonds raised by 1MDB in 2013.

There is also lesser known undertaking, he pointed out.

This is a RM4 billion loan taken by 1MDB's former subsidiary, SRC International Sdn Bhd, from Retirement Fund Incorporated (KWAP), which is also guaranteed by the government.

SRC has since become a subsidiary under the Finance Ministry, Rafizi said.

"The people have to be informed that the government's financial undertaking for 1MDB debts has reached at least RM20 billion," he told a press conference at the Parliament lobby.

On the same issue, Rafizi called upon Deputy Finance Minister Ahmad Maslan to "be a hero" by attending a forum on 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) to take place tomorrow, organised by the former’s NGO brainchild National Oversight and Whistleblowers Centre (NOW).

Refuting Ahmad Maslan's claim that an invitation was never sent to him over the forum, Rafizi said an invitation was sent via an e-mail with a receipt confirmation.

"I urge him to be a hero by attending the forum and giving us answers. The Umno general assembly is next week, so it is a good time for him to be a hero," he said.

Rafizi ( left ) and DAP's Petaling Jaya Utara MP Tony Pua, both whom have pursued the 1MDB matter vociferously, will attend the forum.

"Me and Pua only have questions. He has all the answers," he said.

Rafizi jibed that he might put a "paper cutting" of the deputy minister to portray him as being there "in spirit" if he does not attend.

He also said that Ahmad Maslan should not be "cowardly" by not attending the forum.

Rafizi had previously accused Ahmad Maslan of misleading the Dewan Rakyat over the 1MDB support letter issue, a charge Ahmad Maslan was cleared off earlier today.

Though Ahmad Maslan had said that Rafizi should not prolong the issue further, Rafizi said that he would be more "relentless" now in pursuing answers regarding 1MDB.

Ahmad Maslan previously said that addressing 1MDB issues through press conferences would suffice, but Rafizi said answering in front of a forum would mean communication with the people and not the media alone.

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