1MDB debate: Pakatan Harapan will pick a member to take Pua's place

Pakatan Harapan will name one of its members to replace Tony Pua for the debate with 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) president and group executive director, Arul Kanda Kandasamy, DAP Chief Whip Anthony Loke Siew Fook said.

Loke announced this after Dewan Rakyat Speaker Tan Sri Pandikar Amin Mulia ruled that Pua, the MP for Petaling Jaya Utara, must relinquish his post as a member of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) if he wanted to continue with the open debate with Arul Kanda.

"DAP will not allow Tony Pua to step down as a member of PAC. On the other hand, we will discuss among ourselves to pick one of our members to for the live debate with Arul Kanda," he told reporters at Parliament's lobby today.

Loke explained that the decision of Pandikar Amin would be voided if the the individual entering the debate on the 1MDB issue was not a member of the PAC.

At the Dewan Rakyat proceedings this morning, Pandikar Amin ruled that the debate on 1MDB can only proceed if Tony Pua steps down as a member of the PAC.

In addition, he said Arul Kanda cannot appear as a witness before the PAC in its probe into 1MDB if he wants to debate Pua.

Communication and Multimedia Minister Datuk Seri Dr Salleh Said Keruak today had suggested that the debate on 1MDB be held at Studio 1, Radio Television Malaysia without an audience this Friday, and that the one-hour debate would be telecast live from 9pm.