Arul Kanda to Tony Pua: 'I hereby accept the debate challenge. Bring it on!'

1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MBD) president and group executive director Arul Kanda Kandasamy said he has accepted DAP lawmaker, Tony Pua to debate on the company's alleged mismanagement of fund.

Arul Kanda in a statement Friday said Pua is a tad confused and has contradicted himself.

"On Thursday morning, he said I should resign from 1MDB. On Thursday night, he asked to debate with me.

It is clear that [YB] Tony is confused and contradicts himself. He does not know if he loves me or hates me.

Pua who sits on PAC, Thursday issued a fresh challenge to Arul Kanda to debate the issues plaguing the debt-stricken company.

"He says I should resign, then says I need to stay on and debate with him. This is despite many in the DAP, including [YB] Tony, calling me a liar, who is not worth listening to. So why debate, when you will not listen to, or believe, anything I say?," said Arul Kanda.

He viewed the debate as the first time ever that "a PAC "DAP judge" wants to debate with a "defendant", after the proceedings are over and after a bi-partisan, collective, PAC Report has been issued."

"To avoid being embarrassed a second time, I hope [YB] Tony has first checked with the Speaker of Parliament before issuing this debate challenge," he said.

"What is clear is that, despite him almost exclusively questioning me for 2 full days at the PAC, the DAP representative, [YB] Tony, still wants to spend quality time with me. Far be it from me, to deny [YB] Tony this pleasure.

I hereby accept the debate challenge. Bring it on!"