TASK FORCE WRAPS UP FOREX PROBE
We have called up all those people that we need to call, says head of special investigation team
AZURA ABAS AND FAIRUZ MOHD SHAHAR PUTRAJAYA news@nst.com.my
IT looks like the special task force, entrusted to conduct a preliminary probe into Bank Negara Malaysia’s (BNM) foreign exchange (forex) losses in the 1990s, has wrapped things up. Former chief secretary to the government Tan Sri Mohd Sidek Hassan, who heads the seven-member task force, said yesterday: “We have called up all those people that we need to call.”
He, however, declined to entertain further questions from the media.
Earlier the task force had met former BNM assistant governor Tan Sri Nor Mohamed Yakcop.
He arrived at the ministry at 3.25pm and left about 45 minutes later.
He kept mum when approached by reporters as he was about to enter his car.
Last month, former deputy prime minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, who was also the finance minister at the time, had confirmed that the country lost between RM15 billion and RM30 billion in the the foreign exchange scandal.
Anwar, who gave his statement to the task force last month, claimed that the then central bank governor Tan Sri Jaafar Hussein, had admitted to him that Nor Mohamed was identified as the officer responsible.
He said Jaafar was not provided with the complete information and he then accepted Nor Mohamed’s resignation.
Nor Mohamed was among several individuals, including DAP adviser and Gelang Patah member of parliament Lim Kit Siang, whom the special had called up since it was formed on March 14.
The task force is looking into whether there was any action to cover up the losses and whether misleading statements on the matter were presented to Parliament.
It will then submit recommendations on further action to the government, including the establishment of a Royal Commission of Inquiry, if necessary, based on the results of the investigation.