Let's have a public discussion on 1MDB, says writer after Arul calls him 'coward'

Published: Apr 27, 2018 2:53 PM | Updated: Apr 28, 2018 10:31 AM

Veteran business writer P Gunasegaram has invited 1MDB chief executive officer Arul Kanda to a public discussion on 1MDB.

He extended the invitation after Arul criticised him over an article published in Malaysiakini yesterday, titled “Arul Kanda is 'god-sent' to 1MDB”.

Veteran business writer P Gunasegaram has invited 1MDB chief executive officer Arul Kanda to a public discussion on 1MDB.

He extended the invitation after Arul criticised him over an article published in Malaysiakini yesterday, titled “Arul Kanda is 'god-sent' to 1MDB”.

Arul had trained his guns on Malaysiakini, accusing the portal of being unethical for publishing the article.

He said this is because Gunasegaram did not sit in during his interview with Malaysiakini.

“I was there at the Malaysiakini office for three hours, and four reporters asked me all sorts of questions, and I answered.

“The writer works with Malaysiakini, but Gunasegaram is a coward, because he did not come for the question and answer session.

“So if you do not dare, don't have the 'balls' to turn up and question me in your own office when I am there for three hours, why then write an article that hammers me,” he added.

Arul also criticised Gunasegaram for not obtaining his feedback for his article.

Meanwhile, Gunasegaram said he was surprised that Arul had labelled him a coward, when the latter had declined to meet him in the past regarding 1MDB.

“When I was with KiniBiz (a former business publication), I tried to have interviews with him in the past, but he never agreed,” he added.

Secondly, Gunasegaram pointed out that he is not a staff of Malaysiakini but a columnist and is not based at the news portal's office in Petaling Jaya.

He said as a columnist, he is not privy to Malaysiakini's editorial schedule and therefore had no knowledge of the interview with Arul, let alone that it went on for three hours.

Gunasegaram also said that as a columnist, it is not incumbent upon him to solicit Arul's feedback for a column as he is just sharing his views on the matter.

“I am disappointed that a person of Arul's stature cannot tell the difference between a news article and a column.

“However, if Arul thinks he was wronged and that I did not give him the right of reply, then I am willing to have a public discussion with him on 1MDB,” he added.

When this proposal was put forth to Arul, the 1MDB CEO declined, saying: “I have already given Malaysiakini three hours of my life.”

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Arul has a full time responsibility to defend 1MDB and his boss. 3 hours of murmuring which Arul wasn't quite sure what he said, he expects us to wholeheartedly embrace and prostrate before him. Arul please give us some respect and dignity to reciprocate your behavior and speech. What so great about your 3 hours when you have a full time job to shoulder 1MDB. We don't see you at the foothill let's alone climb the mountain. Tell us : 1. Where is the money? and 2.What have you done to recover the money?

lionheart02:29 AM, 01 May 2018

Malaysiakini interviewed Arul Kanda on 1MDB and there is nothing published by Mkini? And Mkini actually can get all the "answer" from Arul Kanda? Shame on you Mkini... I'm so disappointed with Mkini...

OrangeCheetah766801:41 AM, 01 May 2018

PART 1: Well-qualified lawyers — and I mean truly qualified lawyers and not loyar-loyar burok — are good with words. The astucious ones, ‘astucious’ as in ‘deceitful’, are good at playing with words. Unless my memory has failed me, this Arul character has been said to be a lawyer by training, and that he has gone to the RMC, which I am also made to understand is one of the top-notch secondary institutions of learning in Malaysia. Therefore, it is safe to assume that he is a truly qualified lawyer.

Odin Tajué11:07 PM, 28 Apr 2018

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lionheart02:29 AM, 01 May 2018

OrangeCheetah766801:41 AM, 01 May 2018

Odin Tajué11:07 PM, 28 Apr 2018

PART 2: One notes here that he has said, among other things, that “I was there at the Malaysiakini office for three hours, and four reporters asked me all sorts of questions, and I answered.“ To the less observant, and many people are, and to those who are unaware of what has actually transpired or been said during the interview, this means that he has been asked very many questions (there were no fewer than four questioners and the period of time was a substantial three hours), and that he has answered them all. Therefore, every doubt, every unclear matter has been cleared. That is the idea that he wanted to impart. But has he provided satisfactory answers? Or has he merely responded? If you asked me where I was going and I said I was locomoting, I have answered you. Or, I have responded to your question. Have I not? But have I provided the answer you needed?

Odin Tajué11:07 PM, 28 Apr 2018

PART 3: Mr Gunasegaram, engaging with or asking to engage with Arul is a sheer waste of time. You will get nowhere. He is an official in the Ministry of Truth in Malaysiania. To them, cowardice is bravery and bravery is cowardice. To them, two plus two makes five. To them, truths are lies and lies are truths, good is bad and bad is good, weak is strong and strong is weak. Everything in their world is doubletopsy-doubleturvy. They are all zombies drugged by the odoriferous scent of the droppings excreted by the 1-ringgit Bugis chicken. END

Odin Tajué11:07 PM, 28 Apr 2018

No Holds Barred from 1MDB paid apologist? I don't think he has the balls. Everything to hide, must be done in monologue.. no Q, no A. If IMDB is clean, I challenge Arul & MO1 to take WSJ to court for printing 'fake news'.

My2cen06:11 AM, 28 Apr 2018

So now Arul kanda,, Show your balls.. The columnist sudah cabar you for a debate. Tony Phua sudah tarik one of your balls. If Gunasegaram tarik one more... you're left with NONE!

Semenanjung05:25 PM, 27 Apr 2018

Arul is an arrogant idiot! Willing to do anything for money. If najib wins, you can bet that this fella will be give some high position in some glc and will be milking it all the way at the expense of the rakyat.

Lynn03:44 PM, 27 Apr 2018

What else is new about Arul Kanthasamy? When has he ever had the balls to debate anyone on 1MDB? Arul claims to be many things and a debater, but his only known credential is his monotonous 1MDB monologue talking down to captive groups behind closed doors. He has now taken his monologue to the BN campaigns trail in outlying Malay areas to ignorant 1MDB oblivious rural voters that may be more fascinated watching him blow his hot air. The proverbial “jagoh kampong” has come home to roost? Arul keeps a safe distance from town areas where he is better known. And trying to make a case for himself with the Malaysiakini interview is pathetic and laughable. That was a tame indoor chatter where Arul was given the freedom to ride his favorite merry-go-round. Gunasekaran is a different kettle of fish and open debate is Arul’s phobia. Ask Tony Pua and Pandikar. Arul knows Guna can strip him and shrink his balls in a matter of minutes. Anyway engaging Arul is a waste of time. To him it is an exercise to defend the indefensible for his masters and he will adamantly cling on to parroting his scripted answer that does justice to none.

Anonymous 30001:46 PM, 27 Apr 2018

Arul Kanda Kandasamy has "stature"? Since f*cking when? The guy is a weasel. He';ll slime his way out of trouble with the help of his irreverent god Najib Razak for spinning a web of pathetic, see-through-it-all excuses that a school kid would make and lies a thief caught in the glare of spotlights will spill. P Gunasegaram did a wonderful job of laying out squarely the issues concerning 1MDB and Kandasamy doing the weasel run of avoiding answering questions with more excuses such as commercial in-confidence bullshit. And it is pure and unadulterated bullshit, isn't it, Kandasamy? How much longer can you possibly lie when every day resolving 1MDB's bankruptcy and stolen funds from that Ponzi scheme get no closer to the truth and any kind of resolution. Where is the money? How much did your pal and boss Najib steal? Who else stole besides you other pal Jho Low? Just because the DOJ hasn't filed a suit against you or the other countries investigating 1MDB haven't found 1MDB and Najib guilty of grand larceny doesn't mean you're home scot-free, dude. You're still eyeball deep in horseshit.

Manjit Bhatia12:58 PM, 27 Apr 2018

Who wants to listen to listen to Arul's kindergarten level explanation?

Silly Season12:29 PM, 27 Apr 2018

Arul has balls only because he is protected by MO1.

Oscar Kilo11:41 AM, 27 Apr 2018

Come on Arul. Take Gunasegaram on his offer to have a public discussion and let the people decide who's the REAL coward.

JayWai11:09 AM, 27 Apr 2018

Your time is almost up thambi... Come May 9, your day of reckoning.

biasabisa10:33 AM, 27 Apr 2018

I wonder who is the coward now.

OrangeIguana405210:20 AM, 27 Apr 2018

Mr Arul should have a public discussion like they do on Hardtalk at BBC. I agree with some of the comments. It will take a lot honesty to be in a public debate which We know you dont have. So stop spinning stories as days of fooling the rakyat with misleading and wishy washy answers are over.

Rku02010:14 AM, 27 Apr 2018

Guna, i wont waste my breath over this Kanda disgrace! SLimeball he was and will be , wont dare to answer startight questions!

BlueRusa292309:50 AM, 27 Apr 2018

Well Arul, let’s see some balls.

Anonymous_4031c09:43 AM, 27 Apr 2018

Arul Kanda a/l Kandasamy @ Azrul Kanda - be very afraid, you are going to jail for all the lies you made to cover the truth. You gave Malaysiakini 3 hours of your life, however hell awaits you and that is eternity, not just 3 hours.

Knucklehead09:16 AM, 27 Apr 2018

I just wonder who is the 'coward' When challenged to a discussion/debate by Tony and now Guna, Kanda stick has no balls and runs with his tails between his legs.

ipoh pp09:05 AM, 27 Apr 2018