KUALA LUMPUR: Auditor General Tan Sri Dr Madinah Mohamad is standing by her revelation that the 2016 final audit report on 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB) was “tampered with”.
Public Accounts Committee chairman Datuk Seri Ronald Kiandee said Madinah maintained that the report was changed when interviewed by the committee.
He said Madinah‘s confirmation was expected and PAC had no reason to call her again.
“We got her statement as the auditor general and the proceedings today were satisfactory to PAC. Many things were gleaned and we will investigate whether the report was altered or not, or tampered with or not,” he told reporters after Madinah met with the PAC for four hours.
However, when asked what had transpired during the session, Kiandee remained tight-lipped.
“I definitely cannot share the evidence but it’s all on the press statement which she gave previously... that was all in line with her testimony,” he added.
On Nov 25, Madinah had come out publicly to say that several parts of the 1MDB audit report were expunged on the orders of former prime minister and finance minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s office.
She claimed that a paragraph where fugitive financier Low Taek Jho, better known as Jho Low, attended one of the 1MDB board meetings was also removed under instructions.
Kiandee said tomorrow would be the last day for the PAC proceedings on the case and it would resume its probe in January.
“We hope to have a conclusion by February,” he said.
Kiandee also said that PAC has received a few new names to be called up for questioning, with former National Audit Department audit performance director Saadatul Nafisah Bashir Ahmad being the next to give testimony.
Kiandee also said that PAC would weigh statements by Madinah’s predecessor Tan Sri Ambrin Buang who was called in for questioning Tuesday.
This follows a report by the New Straits Times which quoted a source stating that Ambrin had told PAC that no amendments were made to the report and that the report revealed by Madinah was merely a draft.
Meanwhile, Madinah said she had given the committee the original copy of the audit report, minus the amendments.
“We gave. Yes we did,” she said.
Madinah also reserved other comments, stating that it was up to PAC to announce any form of developments and conduct further investigations as she had given all the documents required.