KUALA LUMPUR, April 4 — 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) today dubbed Tony Pua a “one trick pony” for recycling old allegations about the controversial funding of The Wolf of Wall Street movie.

1MDB said it has previously clarified the purpose of the US$1.4 billion deposit paid to Aabar Investments PJS, owned by Abu Dhabi sovereign fund International Petroleum Investment Co (IPIC), in its financial statements dated March 31, 2013, and audited financial statements dated March 31, 2014.

“Sadly though, true to form, YB Tony Pua is a one trick pony, who can only recycle old and stale allegations,” 1MDB said in a statement.

“More importantly, for all major payments made by the company, 1MDB has provided detailed explanations along with supporting documentary evidence to the Auditor General's Department. In addition, 1MDB thoroughly explained all its major transactions at the recent Public Accounts Committee (PAC) proceedings.

“YB Tony Pua is a member of the PAC and he not only has the requisite information but in fact, had the opportunity to ask for more information during the proceedings,” the state investment company added.

In a statement earlier today, Pua accused 1MDB of being disingenuous with its denial that Red Granite Pictures, producer of The Wolf of Wall Street starring Leonardo DiCaprio, had funded the 2013 Hollywood movie with any of the Malaysian investment company’s funds.

International business paper the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) reported Saturday that Red Granite Pictures stepped in with over US$100 million to fund the film that took over six years to produce because Hollywood studios were reluctant to invest in the R-rated movie on a stock scam.

Citing unnamed “global investigators”, the WSJ report said it is believed that US$155 million (RM600 million) originating from 1MDB moved into Red Granite in 2012 involving offshore shell companies. The report said this sum was part of 1MDB’s US$1.4 billion payment to Aabar that is believed to never have reached Aabar in Abu Dhabi, but went instead to a separate company with an almost identical name, Aabar Investments PJS Ltd, in the British Virgin Islands (BVI).

“If 1MDB is unable to ascertain the ownership of Aabar (BVI), then why did it transfer such an enormous sum of US$1.4 billion to the company?

“Hence it appears that on paper, the transfer of US$1.4 billion is a legitimately made for the purpose of providing a collateral. But upon closer scrutiny, it may amount to a fraudulent attempt to mask the embezzlement of funds via the mystery Aabar (BVI) vehicle,” Pua said.