KUALA LUMPUR – June 15, 2016: With only two days left before the Sungai Besar and Kuala Kangsar by-elections kicks in, Barisan Nasional has upped its game by debunking claims regarding the 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) at those constituencies.
In a closed-door event organised by the Prime Minister’s Department in Sekinchan, 1MDB president Arul Kanda Kandasamy implored the people not to be fooled by the opposition’s allegations about the government-owned investment firm.
“1MDB is no more an issue. It was a business problem that is currently being solved.
“All problems will be solved by next year,” Arul told the audience.
The Malay Mail Online reported Arul as saying that the 1MDB’s issues were mostly resolved save for an investigation by local police.
“The opposition has politicised a business problem. Not just 1MDB alone, Proton also has had problems like this.
“This 1MDB issue has been blown out of proportion by the opposition. This has become a big issue after politicians and former politicians not with the government made this into a big issue,” he said at the event today.
He also refuted claims alleging that the Goods and Services Tax was introduced to bail out 1MDB.
Arul stressed that the implementation of the tax has got nothing to do with 1MDB.
Besides Arul, the speakers at the event were National Civics Bureau director-general Datuk Ibrahim Saad and Bukit Aman’s Counter Terrorism deputy director Datuk Ayob Khan Mydin Pitchay.
The duo talked about the misuse of internet and terrorism threats that has also been played up by the opposition ahead of the twin by-elections.
The event was moderated by Utusan Malaysia assistant editor-in-chief Datuk Zaini Hassan.
The Sungai Besar constituency will see a three-way contest between BN’s Budiman Mohd Zohdi, Pas’s Dr Abdul Rani Osman and Amanah’s Azhar Abdul Shukur.
