THE Public Accounts Committee (PAC) and the Auditor-General will reopen the investigation into the 1Malaysia Development Bhd scandal after MPs, including those from Barisan Nasional (BN), endorsed a motion to reopen investigation.

The motion to reopen the probe was read out by Finance Minister Lim Guan Eng at 5.45pm.

“This is necessary because the 1MDB corruption scandal was not investigated properly and no action was taken by the BN government to resolve the matter,” said Lim, during the tabling of the motion at 6pm.

He said the investigation was necessary to return integrity to Parliament.

Before the change of power, there was no action taken in Malaysia when banks were closed in Switzerland, individuals jailed in Singapore and assets were seized by US authorities, said Lim.

The Bagan MP said the previous PAC report had erased information about the “beneficiary owner” of Good Star Ltd, who received money transfers from 1MDB.

“While the former chairman (Hasan Ariffin – Rompin MP) had also kept a Bank Negara letter from other PAC members,” said Lim.

He questioned the effectiveness of the previous PAC, which had failed to questioned businessman Low Taek Jho or former prime minister Najib Razak during its proceedings.

Low was reported as the beneficiary owner of Good Star while Najib was 1MBD chairman at that time.

“Former AG Ambrin Buang had also recorded his dissatisfaction about 1MDB management that did not cooperate with the AG by not furnishing financial documents to them.

“As such, the new PAC and AG will be allowed to investigate properly and Najib will be accorded the chance to vindicate himself in the proceedings,” said Lim.

The motion was passed unanimously after an hour’s debate that saw former PAC chairman Hasan and former PAC member Tony Pua (Damansara-PH) exchange jibes over a last-minute omission from the final PAC Report.

The PAC Report was released on April 7, 2016.

During the debate, Johor Baru MP Akmal Nasir (PH) suggested that the PAC proceedings be made public so everyone can watch for themselves.

But Dewan Rakyat speaker Mohamad Ariff Md Yusof said it was not right for them to decide now.

“Let PAC meet first and decide for themselves. If they want to make the proceedings open, they can bring it back to Dewan Rakyat for the MPs to decide,” said Ariff.

The suggestion to open the PAC proceedings was backed by Iskandar Putri and Ketereh MPs Lim Kit Siang and Annuar Musa. – August 16, 2018.