FORMER Public Accounts Committee (PAC) member Tony Pua said he was not surprised former prime minister Najib Razak had ordered changes to the auditor-general’s report on 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB).

Pua said he didn’t know about the amendments made as he accepted the documents when it came from the auditor-general’s office.

“I didn’t know. When the document came from AG, I accepted it.

“I feel disappointed but I’m not surprised because the former prime minister will do anything he can to hide any wrongdoing,” he said in Parliament today.

Over the weekend, Auditor-General Madinah Mohamad confirmed a news report quoting unnamed sources that the audit report had been tampered with and altered.

Madinah said the alternations ordered by Najib include the removal of two paragraphs about 1MDB’s financial statements for the year 2014.

This instruction was given by Najib, at a meeting on February 22, 2016 at the Prime Minister’s Office, where former auditor-general Ambrin Buang, former chief secretary to the government Ali Hamsa and former principal private secretary to the prime minister Shukry Mohd Salleh, were also present.

There was another meeting on February 24, 2016, attended by the same people minus Najib, with other officials from the Attorney-General’s Chambers and Finance Ministry, as well as then 1MDB president and CEO Arul Kanda Kandasamy.

These discussions on what to remove or amend continued the next day on February 25 at Ali’s office.

On February 28, 2016, the removal of a paragraph stating the presence of fugitive businessman Low Taek Jho at a 1MDB board meeting was made.

Ali, Arul Kanda and the audit team then reviewed the amended report on March 1, and the report was finally handed to the PAC on March 4.

Pua, who is now the finance minister’s political secretary, added there is no problem with Madinah issuing her statement as she was recounting facts.

“There’s no contempt of court. It’s factual statement.

“If she gave an opinion, that’s wrong. But she gave facts,” added Pua. – November 26, 2018.