.jpg "Datuk Seri Dr Ronald Kiandee speaks to reporters after PACu00e2u20acu2122s meeting at Parliament December 5, 2018. u00e2u20acu201d Picture by Shafwan Zaidon")
KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 5 — Auditor-General (A-G) Tan Sri Madinah Mohamad has maintained that the 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) audit report was tampered with, the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) said today.
PAC chairman Datuk Seri Ronald Kiandee said he was satisfied with today’s proceeding after the PAC received numerous statements from Madinah and her team.
“As stated in her press statement on November 25, Madinah told us that the 1MDB audit report was tampered with and she gave her statement today in line with her press release.
“Madinah’s confirmation had been expected and we will call up more witnesses as we receive a few more new names today,” he told reporters in Parliament.
Madinah was grilled for almost four hours by the PAC at Parliament today after her predecessor Tan Sri Ambrin Buang was cross-examined yesterday over the alleged tampering of the audit report of the state investment firm that was submitted in 2016.
Ambrin had maintained that the so-called “tampered” audit report revealed by successor Tan Sri Madinah Mohamad was “merely a draft”, a report claimed.
He reportedly maintained that his final audit report on scandal-plagued 1MDB was not doctored.
Kiandee said there was no need for Madinah to be called up again by the PAC.
“Tomorrow is our last day of proceeding before it resumes in January. Hopefully we would able to obtain a summary by February,” he said.
He reportedly said yesterday that former 1MDB chief executive officer Arul Kanda Kandasamy and former chief secretary to the government Tan Sri Dr Ali Hamsa will be called up to testify some time after December.
When met by reporters in Parliament, Madinah also confirmed she handed over an unaltered copy of the audit report to the PAC.
“We gave. Yes we did,” she said briefly.
Madinah said it was up to the PAC to announce any form of development and conduct further investigations as she has given all the necessary evidence.
Asked if it was former Finance Minister and 1MDB chairman Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s office who ordered the alleged tampering, she declined to answer and said only the PAC chairman can make any announcements.
Former government sector audit director Saadatul Nafisah Bashir Ahmad will testify before the PAC tomorrow.
Last month, Madinah made a stunning revelation that her predecessor’s audit report was tampered with prior to its presentation to the PAC.
Among others, she alleged that a paragraph stating fugitive financier Jho Low’s presence at 1MDB board meetings was removed under the instructions of Najib’s office.
