At a press conference at the Parliament lobby here today, the Petaling Jaya Utara MP said since the Public Accounts Committee’s (PAC) probe on the state investment firm had finally concluded, there was no reason not to have the debate.

“I had issued a second challenge for 1MDB president Arul Kanda (Kandasamy) to face-off in a live talk show or debate on Apr 14. The 1MDB president accepted the challenge.

“I would like to call upon Salleh to get RTM or TV3 to broadcast the debate live. The minister was very quick and eager to offer the platform for the debate last October.

“Hence, I’m sure in light of public interest on the matter, he will make the same offer to host the above event.”

Pua also claimed Arul had contacted him to make necessary arrangements for the debate and that the latter had assigned 1MDB head of communications Robert Ho to lead discussions on the format and structure of the debate.

Kulai and Serdang MPs, Teo Nie Ching and Ong Kian Ming, respectively, would be in touch with Ho to finalise the details, added Pua.

Pua also extended an invitation to Deputy Home Minister Nur Jazlan Mohamed to be the moderator for the debate.

When approached by reporters later, Nur Jazlan quipped that he preferred “to start a new life”.

Pua’s proposal for a live debate failed to materialise earlier this year when Dewan Rakyat Speaker Pandikar Amin Mulia rejected it due to the fact that Pua was at that time, a member of the PAC.