THE Finance Ministry wants former 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB) president Arul Kanda Kandasamy to return an ex gratia payment of RM2.5 million.

Finance Minister Lim Guan Eng said the amount had been paid to him in advance without the government’s approval.

“We did not approve it but the money was paid. Legal action has been taken to reclaim it.

“We are looking at other measures too, so we can make claims from Arul if other decisions detrimental to 1MDB had been made,” he told a press conference at Parliament today.

Lim told Dewan Rakyat yesterday that Arul was to be paid RM5 million for his services from January to June, but he was only paid RM2.5 million with the rest to be paid by June 30.

Lim also told former finance minister Najib Razak to explain if Arul received RM10 million a year before becoming 1MDB president.

He said there were no records showing that Arul was paid that amount.

The Bagan MP questioned whether Najib had bluffed again to defend the high salary paid to Arul.

This followed Najib’s statement yesterday, which revealed that Arul’s pay as 1MDB president and chief executive officer was not as much as what the latter had earned when he worked at a United Arab Emirates bank.

Najib, who was former prime minister, said Arul gave up his higher pay to work at 1MDB.

Lim said he questioned Najib’s credibility and integrity for giving a nonsensical excuse.

“If he wants to talk numbers and facts, show proof that before Arul became 1MDB president, he was paid RM10 million a year, or RM5 million for six months, as what I have stated here,” the DAP leader said. – August 2, 2018.