Arul: It's Pua who ran and hid behind the speaker

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1MDB president and group executive director Arul Kanda Kandasamy said it was DAP's Petaling Jaya Utara MP Tony Pua who ran away and hid behind the Parliament speaker after a highly-anticipated debate between them fell apart.

"I accepted Pua's challenge unconditionally and instead Pua ran away and hid behind the speaker," Arul Kanda is quoted as saying in a video interview with Astro Awani .

Arul Kanda also argued that his initial condition for Pua to resign from the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) had merit.

This was because, despite retracting his condition, Dewan Rakyat Speaker Pandikar Amin Mulia still disallowed Pua, a member of the PAC, to debate him, he said.

He said this in response to DAP calling him a coward and attempting to cow behind Pandikar after refusing to debate with Pandan MP Rafizi Ramli of PKR, who was selected by Pakatan Harapan as Pua's replacement.

'Debate was never planned with Rafizi'

However, Arul Kanda said the planned debate was never with Rafizi.

"I don't know where Rafizi is coming from. I have never even seen him before this (1MDB issue).

"Suddenly he appeared with Pakatan Harapan and wanted to turn this into a political issue.

"I have no issues with Rafizi but it was (between) me and Pua and I accepted his challenge.

"You know, he ran away and that was it," Arul Kanda is quoted as saying.

He also reiterated that he would abide by the speaker's decision that it was not appropriate for him to be debating with MPs on the 1MDB issue as he would have to appear before the PAC.

He received an official note today to testify before the PAC and would do so, Arul Kanda added.



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