KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 8 — Pakatan Harapan demanded today for 1Malaysia Development Bhd’s (1MDB) president Arul Kanda Kandasamy to hold a special briefing for it lawmakers in the next 24 hours.

DAP’s Tony Pua said if Arul Kanda could meet with PAS to explain 1MDB’s rationalisation plan, he should also meet other Opposition MPs who have been asking for the same explanation.

"I am disappointed and unsatisfied that when every time I invite Arul Kanda to give a briefing or debate, he refuses. He has refused multiple times but when PAS invites he appears.

"On behalf of Pakatan Harapan, I ask Arul Kanda once again to have a session with our leaders who want to ask questions for all Malaysians,” he said in a press conference today.

The Petaling Jaya Utara MP added that they will arrange with the Parliament to provide a space for the briefing with Arul Kanda.

PKR Vice-President Nurul Izzah Anwar meanwhile said they are giving 24 hours to Arul Kanda to respond to their request.

"We give him a day to respond to our queries. We are ready to meet him behind the scenes to answer,” she said, adding that it could even be done without any media presence.

After meeting with Arul Kanda, PAS yesterday said it was "satisfied” with the explanation on 1MDB’s rationalisation plan.

Last week, 1MDB issued a statement saying that it is awaiting proceeds from its debt rationalisation plan to use as payment to IPIC following news reports that it missed a scheduled payment to IPIC.

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak also denied the fund is unable to pay back its debt to Abu Dhabi’s International Petroleum Investment Company, saying the issue is now a "technical matter”.