THE Auditor-General’s report on 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB) in 2016 was amended on the orders of then prime minister Najib Razak, Utusan has reported citing unnamed sources.

The Malay daily said Najib had ordered the removal of parts stating his involvement and that of wanted businessman Low Taek Jho, or Jho Low, in the state investment fund.

Utusan’s sources told the paper that the amendments were made at a meeting held at the Prime Minister’s Office in the presence of then Auditor-General Ambrin Buang.

Also present were then Chief Secretary to the Government Dr Ali Hamsa, Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission chief Dzulkifli Ahmad and principal private secretary to the Prime Minister Shukri Mohd Salleh.

Ambrin, had earlier denied that the report, which was placed under the Official Secrets Act (OSA) then, had been tampered with.

He issued the denial on October 30 after a claim by Public Accounts Committee (PAC) deputy chairman Wong Kah Woh that the report had been amended.

The PAC had been given the report as  part of its probe into 1MDB. It ultimately found that Najib was implicated in the fund’s scandals.

The report’s OSA status was lifted after Pakatan Harapan took over the federal government in May.

According to Utusan, current Auditor-General Dr Madinah Mohamad has tabled the original report on 1MDB to the new PAC committee, and is to table it to the Cabinet soon.

Ambrin was to have faced the PAC on October 29 but the committee’s chairman Ronald Kiandee abruptly cancelled the session, saying the PAC’s probe into 1MDB had been indefinitely suspended on the advice of the Attorney-General who has brought charges against Najib over 1MDB scandal.

However, Utusan today said PAC will resume its investigation following advice from the Attorney-General’s office. – November 23, 2018.