MADINAH STICKS TO HER GUNS
Madinah’s testimony is consistent with her past statement, says PAC chief
IN testimony before the parliamentary Public Accounts Committee, the auditor general reiterates that the 2016 final audit report on 1MDB was tampered with. This comes a day after her predecessor told the panel that only the draft report was altered.
AUDITOR General Tan Sri Dr Madinah Mohamad is standing by her revelation that the 2016 final audit report on 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB) was “tampered with”.
Public Accounts Committee chairman Datuk Seri Ronald Kiandee said Madinah maintained that the report was changed when interviewed by the committee.
He said Madinah’s confirmation was expected and PAC had no reason to call her again.
“We got her statement as the auditor general and the proceedings today (yesterday) were satisfactory to PAC. Many things were gleaned and we will investigate whether the report was tampered with,” he said after Madinah met PAC for four hours.
However, when asked what had transpired during the session, Kiandee remained tight-lipped.
“I cannot share the evidence, but it is on the press statement that she gave previously. That was in line with her testimony.”
On Nov 25, Madinah had publicly said that several parts of the 1MDB audit report were expunged on the orders of former prime minister and finance minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s office.
She claimed that a paragraph stating that fugitive financier Low Taek Jho, better known as Jho Low, attended a 1MDB board meeting was removed under instructions.
She claimed that others involved in the case included Najib’s then private secretary Tan Sri Shukry Salleh, former chief secretary to the government Tan Sri Dr Ali Hamsa, former auditor general Tan Sri Ambrin Buang and former 1MDB chief executive officer Arul Kanda Kandasamy.
Kiandee said yesterday was the last day for the PAC proceedings on the case and it would resume its probe next month.
“We hope to have a conclusion by February.”
Kiandee said PAC had received a few names to be called up for questioning, with former National Audit Department audit performance director Saadatul Nafisah Bashir Ahmad being the next to give testimony.
Kiandee said PAC would weigh statements by Madinah’s predecessor, Ambrin, who was called in for questioning on Tuesday.
This follows a report by the New Straits Times, which quoted a source as saying that Ambrin had told PAC that no amendments were made to the report and that the report revealed by Madinah was merely a draft.
Madinah said she had given the committee the original copy of the audit report, minus the amendments.
“We gave. Yes, we did.”
She reserved other comments, saying that it was up to PAC to announce any developments and conduct further investigations as she had given the documents required.