THE opposition’s efforts to get more answers from the government on issues plaguing 1Malaysia Development Bhd in Dewan Rakyat were curtailed when Speaker Pandikar Amin Mulia refused to accept more than 30 questions on the topic.

“Is the government ready to order a White Paper on the foreign intervention pertaining to 1MDB?” asked Opposition Leader Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail in Dewan Rakyat today.

Puchong MP Gobind Singh Deo also asked the Speaker why his question was rejected.

“I just want to know the status of the 1MDB investigations. If I can’t ask that in Parliament, where else do we take our questions?” said Gobind. 

At the press conference afterwards, Wan Azizah said the Speaker had rejected questions on 1MDB because they appeared to be more allegations than questions and that they were “hurtful”.

Wan Azizah said the opposition would challenge Pandikar’s decision by bringing forward a motion under Rule 99 of the Dewan Rakyat Standing Orders.

The questions posed ranged from whether the government would accept the return of money and assets seized by the US Department of Justice to how 1MDB would pay its debts.

1MDB is scheduled to pay US$602.7 million (RM2.58 billion) to Abu Dhabi fund International Petroleum Investment Company (IPIC) next Monday.