1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB) has numerous detractors, but without a doubt, DAP lawmaker Tony Pua can be conferred the title as its fiercest critic.

Recognising this, 1MDB's new president Arul Kanda Kandasamy had invited the Petaling Jaya Utara MP to dialogue with him.

Accepting the invitation, Pua, however, stressed that it was more important for Arul to engage with the public on the issues plaguing the ailing state-owned investment arm.

"I am more than happy to engage with 1MDB or Arul. However, it is much more important that he also informs and engages with the public," Pua told Malaysiakini .

He said this in response to a posting on the 1MDB website, in which Arul said he would be glad to dialogue with Pua and inform him about the actual happenings in the company.

The posting on the 1MDB site says: "The honourable MP is fully entitled to issue comments and statements about 1MDB but all we ask, as a company, is that he does so with an informed view.

"As such, if there are any issues the YB (Pua) wishes to raise, I am willing to engage with him, and share any insights where I am in a position to do so.

"Once he has all of the facts and figures, from both sides, he is of course free to form his own opinion about the matter under consideration."

Pua says key issue raised not clarified

Despite the public relations overture, Pua pointed out that Arul failed to clarify an issue he raised.

"I noted that he did not answer the simple question I raised," he said, referring to his query on what is meant by "redeemed" and if this indicated that the funds from Cayman Islands have been received.

On Tuesday, 1MDB revealed that the entire RM8.24 billion parked at the Cayman Islands has been redeemed.

The announcement came after it missed a deadline to repay a RM2 billion bridge loan last December.

Earlier this month, Arul, an Abu Dhabi-based Malaysian banker, was roped in to spearhead the firm and tasked with reversing its fortunes.

1MDB is the brainchild of Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak.

Apart from the opposition, former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad has also been critical of 1MDB.

Today, Mahathir qustioned where the money has been kept after being brought back from the Cayman Islands.

Prior to this, Batu Kawan Umno division deputy chief Khairuddin Abu Hassan also lodged reports on 1MDB with the police and Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC).

1MDB has always maintained that its dealings have been done above-board.