Those summoned over 1MDB probe should come forward voluntarily, says Malaysian parliamentary committee chief

Public Accounts Committee chairman Nur Jazlan Mohamad and his deputy Tan Seng Giaw with an interim report on 1MDB. PHOTO: THE STAR PUBLICATION

JOHOR BARU (THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK) - The chief of a Malaysian parliamentary committee has urged those summoned by the committee over the 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) controversy to come forward voluntarily instead of waiting on authorities to search for them.

"This is a good chance for them to clear their names from the allegations made against them by certain parties on their involvement in the 1MDB controversy," said Public Accounts Committee (PAC) chairman Datuk Nur Jazlan Mohamed on Saturday.

Nur Jazlan said PAC had sent a letter to the Finance Ministry on Thursday seeking for businessman Low Taek Jho, better known as Jho Low, to appear before the bi-partisan parliamentary committee on Sept 8.

PAC also summoned the directors of Brazen Sky Sdn Bhd and one from a company under 1MDB involved in the investment in PetroSaudi International on Sept 9 and Sept 13, he said.

"It is the responsibility of the ministry as the main shareholder of 1MDB to trace them as they should know their whereabouts," Nur Jazlan said.

The ministry, he said, could seek assistance from the authorities such as the police to look for them.

If those concerned failed to turn up, he said PAC would decide on the next course of action.

Nur Jazlan said PAC had set Aug 4, 5 and 7 to meet former chief executive officers of 1MDB and Aug 17 and 18 with the former directors.

PAC wanted to hear from them about allegations by former Petro­Saudi International executive Xavier Andre Justo, he said.

Meanwhile, Defence Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein has urged the authorities to give serious attention to the claim by Swiss national Justo that he was promised payment in exchange for data he stole from his former employer PetroSaudi International.

He said Justo's claim could assist the ongoing investigations and could also reduce or put a stop to the speculations surrounding the 1MDB issue.

"What we want is transparency and the truth. People should stop speculating about the matter," Hishamuddin said at a Hari Raya open house hosted by Bera MP and Agriculture and Agro-based Indus­try Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob on Saturday.

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