Mahathir says he will need the CEP to continue working alongside him. — Picture by Azneal Ishak

KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 16 — Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad rubbished today rumours that the quasi-official Council of Eminent Persons (CEP) will be disbanded by Saturday, immediately after the Pakatan Harapan (PH) government’s 100th-day in power.

“CEP won’t be dissolved. They think it came to an end, but I never said so.

“I still need their services; until they solve all the problems. I myself can’t do all the work,” he said at the launch of country’s first RM270 million private cardiac and vascular hospital Cardiac Vascular Sentral (CVS) here.

Yesterday, Centre to Combat Corruption and Cronyism (C4) director Cynthia Gabriel who is also a part of the 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) investigation committee established under the CEP, said the committee along with the council is expected to be dissolved this Saturday.

Gabriel said this is following PH administration reaching their 100 days promise expiration tomorrow.

Last month, Foreign Minister Datuk Saifuddin Abdullah said that it will be Dr Mahathir's prerogative whether the advisory council would extend its services beyond the stipulated time.

Gabriel further explained that the 1MDB investigation committee is expected to submit their findings to the prime minister by the end of the week.

She also cleared the air that the 1MDB investigative committee led by former Attorney General Tan Sri Abu Talib is not to be confused with the 1MDB investigative task force set up by the Prime Minister’s Office.

The other committee members include former Attorney General Tan Sri Abu Talib Othman, PwC Risk Assurance Services partner, Nik Shahrizal Sulaiman, Naqiz & Partners’ senior partner, Syed Naqiz Shahabuddin Syed Abdul Jabbar and Financial Services Authority Indonesia senior adviser, Faris Rabidin.