KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 4 — Citing public pressure, Parliament’s Public Accounts Committee (PAC) said today it may issue a “brief report” on its inquiry into 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) even though it has yet to complete its probe.

The PAC has several scheduled hearings in which it was to meet and get the testimonies of key figures involved with 1MDB, however, the Dewan Rakyat Speaker has announced that all proceedings should halt pending the appointment of a new chairman.

“Under public pressure, PAC may have to come out with a brief report of how far it has proceeded with the 1MDB inquiry before the proceedings are suspended for nearly three months,” the bipartisan panel’s vice-chairman from DAP, Dr Tan Seng Giaw told a news conference in Parliament here.

Dr Tan said such a release by the PAC would be timely given continuing allegations that 1MDB funds had been misappropriated were circulating online.

He said the rumours were an indication that the public was yearning for the “truth”, and said the PAC should inform the public of its progress in investigating 1MDB so far.

Dr Tan also urged that the PAC be allowed to carry on its investigations into 1MDB, since the Auditor-General’s final report on the beleaguered state investment firm is expected to be released in December.

“As the government has such a programme, it is appropriate for the PAC to continue with its inquiry on 1MDB without interruptions and all concerned should assist in this,”  he added.

Parliament yesterday officially sent notices to halt all scheduled hearings on the 1MDB scandal by its PAC for the entire month of August, pending the appointment of  chairman Datuk Nur Jazlan Mohamed who was appointed as deputy home minister.

The dates mentioned in the notice were August 4, 5, 6, 17 and 18, which are the dates scheduled for witnesses linked to the 1MDB issue to provide their testimonies.

1MDB has indicated that it will not attend the previously scheduled hearing dates.

The latest move to halt the PAC inquiry on 1MDB comes in the wake of a separate investigation on key personnel involved in the government’s own special task force probing the state-owned investment firm.