Name me as politician who met ex-PetroSaudi exec, Tony Pua tells BN

DAP Petaling Jaya Utara MP Tony Pua says Barisan Nasional should openly accuse him of meeting a former PetroSaudi International executive accused of trying to blackmail the company over its links to 1MDB. – The Malaysian Insider file pic, July 18, 2015.

DAP's Petaling Jaya Utara federal lawmaker Tony Pua has challenged Barisan Nasional ministers to name him as the opposition politician who met former PetroSaudi International
director Xavier Andre Justo over troubled 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB).

In his Facebook page, the staunch critic of the debt-laden state investment vehicle said: "Well, I dare any BN Minister to accuse me of meeting Justo. Come on, don't be pussies, don't beat about the bush. No need to wayang".

Although not openly named, Pua had been alluded to as one of the opposition members who had met with the Swiss national at a hotel in Singapore, allegedly on the sale of documents related to 1MDB's aborted joint venture with PetroSaudi.

In a spat over Twitter, Urban Wellbeing, Housing and Local Government Minister Datuk Seri Abdul Rahman Dahlan had asked DAP's parliamentary leader Lim Kit Siang if he was afraid his “star MP” would be shown up as lying about meeting Justo.

Yesterday, Communications and Multimedia Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Shabery Cheek had urged the opposition to deny its involvement in order to put the matter to rest, adding that the lack of clarification was a "serious matter".

"Until now, we haven't heard any clear denial from the opposition people who was said to be involved in these meetings," he had said at the prime minister's open house in Putrajaya.

"If it did not happen, then those who were said to be involved should immediately issue a denial. They have yet to do so."

Justo is currently in Thai police custody after his arrest on the island resort of Koh Samui.

He was reportedly paid some RM15 million to leave PetroSaudi and accused of attempting to blackmail the company over its deals with state fund 1MDB. Thai media reported that Justo has denied this.

Royal Thai Police spokesman Lt-Gen Prawuth Thavornsiri was quoted by the New Straits Times as saying that Justo admitted to meeting a Malaysian opposition leader at a hotel in
Singapore before selling the documents.

“He (Justo) met a very important person from a certain country, in Singapore. He then negotiated the selling price of the documents and later sold them to the buyer.

“We have confiscated Justo’s personal computer and we have managed to find documents and information pertaining to their meeting at a hotel in Singapore.

“Most of this information was found in Justo’s email correspondence and WhatsApp chat records,” Prawuth was quoted as saying.

Criticism has been mounting over the state investment vehicle, established in 2009, which has chalked up debts of up to RM42 billion.

Scrutiny grew more intense after whistle-blower site Sarawak Report's recent exposes, which piled pressure on Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak and prompted opposition politicians, former and current Umno leaders and anti-graft bodies to demand a thorough investigation into the fund.

- TMI