Tengku Zafrul refutes allegations 1MDB debts not paid

PETALING JAYA: The government has to fork out RM6.5bil in interest payments alone for 1Malaysia Development Berhad’s (1MDB) existing debts, says Tengku Datuk Seri Zafrul Abdul Aziz.

The Finance Minister said till the end of this month, their total remaining commitment for 1MDB amounts to RM38.8bil.

“The principal is RM32.3bil with an interest of RM6.5bil. Claims that we have not started paying the principal debts of 1MDB is unfounded considering that the principal debts will only mature later,” he said when replying to a question raised by Lim Guan Eng (PH - Bagan) in Dewan Rakyat on Thursday (March 3).

Lim had asked Tengku Zafrul to clarify Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s (BN-Pekan) claims that the government had not paid a cent on the debts of 1MDB.

Najib had in the Dewan Rakyat on Wednesday (March 2) said that the government had not used a single cent of public funds to repay the principal amount of 1MDB debts.

Tengku Zafrul said the maturity of the 1MDB bonds were between 2022 to 2039.

As such, he said that was why the principals have not been paid.

“But, we have started paying the interest,” he said.