Ex-PAC chief, former auditor-general deny 1MDB report was tampered with

Ex-PAC chief, former auditor-general deny 1MDB report was tampered with

Hasan Arifin says the report previously tabled was the same one received, while Ambrin Buang says he had full control over the report at the time.

The audit report on 1MDB was classified under the Official Secrets Act by the Barisan Nasional government. (Bernama pic)
KUALA LUMPUR:
Two individuals involved in separate probes on 1MDB today denied claims that the 2016 Auditor-General’s Report on the state investment arm had been tampered with.

Hasan Arifin, the former chairman of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC), rubbished allegations by deputy PAC chairman Wong Kah Woh, saying he was not sure what the latter meant.

Wong, the Ipoh Timur MP, claimed last night that the original audit report was amended on the instructions of specific people.

“Luckily, there was a change of government on May 9. Only then could all these be revisited,” he said when debating the mid-term review of the 11th Malaysia Plan.

However, Hasan told reporters outside the Dewan Rakyat that this was not during “his time”.

The Rompin MP, who in August denied altering the PAC report on the investigation into 1MDB, said the report previously tabled was the same one they had received.

He also urged his successor, Ronald Kiandee, to explain Wong’s allegations.

The previous Barisan Nasional administration classified the audit report under the Official Secrets Act in 2016.

In May, it was reported that senior officials at the state fund had withheld information from its board and made decisions without the board’s approval.

Several high-risk investments were made, with the 1MDB management going against the wishes of the board and shareholders in some instances.

Former auditor-general Ambrin Buang also denied Wong’s claim, saying no one had interfered with the department’s probe.

“That was my report and I had full control over it,” he told reporters on the sidelines of an anti-corruption summit here.

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