The live coverage of the 1MDB debate to be held on RTM on Friday is off, Communications and Multimedia Minister Salleh Said Keruak said today.

This is because Petaling Jaya Utara MP Tony Pua is no longer in the debate.

"The debate is off as far as live telecast is concerned.

"We only agreed to (telecast) Pua against 1MDB chief executive Arul Kanda Kandasamy," Salleh told reporters outside the Parliament lobby today.

He said the live debate offer would not be extended to Pua's replacement, even if Arul agreed to it.

The minister stressed that RTM is not the debate organiser, and had only answered Pua's challenge to hold a live debate against Arul Kanda.

Pua had decided not to debate the 1MDB boss after Parliament speaker Pandikar Amin Mulia ordered the DAP lawmaker to quit before the showdown.

The Petaling Jaya Utara MP said this is because being on the PAC is more important than debating Arul Kanda.

Pakatan Harapan said it will name a replacement for Pua tomorrow and find another channel to host the debate.