1MDB president Arul Kanda today accepted DAP Petaling Jaya Utara MP Tony Pua's challenge to participate in a live talk show with him but only on the condition the latter resigns from the parliamentary Public Accounts Committee (PAC).
In a statement responding to Pua's challenge yesterday, Arul said he looked forward to answering all his questions on the beleaguered 1MDB.
Arul, however, said Pua must first resign from the PAC to maintain the integrity of the PAC’s investigation into 1MDB and to avoid any conflict of interest.
"It is a known fact that Pua is a member of the PAC, which is in the midst of conducting an investigation into 1MDB.
"Despite his efforts to do so, Pua cannot be judge, jury and executioner."
"As such, I trust he will have the courage to do the right thing and resign from the PAC in order for us to have, in his words, a 'no-holds barred' discussion on live television."
Pua has offered to host a live talk show with Arul during which the DAP lawmaker will also serve as the interviewer.
Pua made the offer after Arul's live interview with Bernama TV which Pua described as merely continuation of 1MDB’s public relations campaign using 'recycled answers that have been discredited'.
'Embarrass me'
“Since Arul proudly proclaimed that there is absolutely no cover-up on 1MDB, may I humbly propose that the 1MDB president attends a ‘live’ talk show which I will host and ask the questions.
“He will be given every opportunity and as much time as he likes to answer these questions.
“In fact, I will bear no grudges if he succeeds in embarrassing me by showing evidence from any 1MDB financial document which disproves my allegations.
“The question is, will he have the courage to accept the challenge or will he stick to the safe comfort of the pliant mainstream media?” Pua said in a statement late last night.
Pua has today described Arul's condition that he must first quit from PAC before their participation in the live show as a " stupid excuse ".
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