Where were 1Malaysia Development Berhad CEO Arul Kanda and former CEO Shahrol Halmi when they were supposed to testify?

 

That is a question the Parliamentary Accounts Committee (PAC) plans to ask when the duo finally turns up to testify.

"Yes, (we'll ask). I know there are some allegations that they're not overseas.

"When they come, then we ask them, lah , whether it is true or not they were not in the country at the time they were supposed to see us," PAC chairperson Nur Jazlan Mohamad said at a press conference today.

At a separate press conference in the Parliament lobby earlier, PAC member Tony Pua said one of the things he wanted to find out was what meeting they had.

"What meeting were they having overseas such that they could not attend the PAC?" he demanded.

 

"Were they in Dubai? Did they take a short flight to Singapore? Did they go together? Did they go separately?

 

"We even want to know when the flight was booked. Was it booked after the notice was given or before the notice was given?" he further quizzed.

 

Arul and Halmi had skipped their appointments with the PAC this week, claiming the Finance Ministry only notified the company of the matter on May 21.

 

PAC received a reply from Arul seeking a 30-day extension on May 22, on grounds that he and Shahrol had prior commitments abroad and needed time to prepare the necessary documents for the hearing.

Nur Jazlan however yesterday said the committee had sent out its summons to the Finance Ministry on May 6.

Whereabouts not that important

Despite all the attention on their whereabouts, the PAC chief ( photo ) said this was not the main issue.

"What is important is that we want the answer during their time when they were the CEOs in 1MDB.

"That is more important than whether they have a good reason not to turn up at the PAC meeting," he said, adding the duo probably needed more time because they know the committee is serious about the probe.

However, he warned Arul and Shahrol to be truthful in their testimony.

"If there is any proof that they actually deceived (us), our questioning will become more aggressive than usual.

"Our PAC members will not be sympathetic towards them. (We) are not in the first place, but (then) we (will be) even less sympathetic to them," he said.

 

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