PAC to wrap up probe by month-end
The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) is expected to wrap up its investigations into the RM18 billion Goods and Services Tax (GST) refund money, allegedly stolen by the previous Barisan Nasional-led government, by the end of the month.
Committee chairman Datuk Seri Dr Ronald Kiandee said PAC had reached the tail end of its investigations into the matter.
All it needs now in the final leg of the probe is to call in former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak, who was then finance minister, Finance Minister Lim Guan Eng and former treasury secretary-general Tan Sri Dr Mohd Irwan Serigar Abdullah.
Kiandee said while PAC had questioned Irwan before, it was crucial for the committee to recall him in seeking clarification on certain matters.
The three witnesses are expected to present themselves before PAC between Oct 16 and 22. Irwan will be the first.
Najib, who is Pekan member of parliament, is scheduled to make his appearance on Oct 17.
Lim, who is Bagan MP, will be the last to appear before the committee and has been scheduled for an Oct 22 session.
“We are investigating the accusation that the previous government had stolen the money from the government’s consolidated fund.
“That is the gist of what we are investigating and this is expected to be wrapped up by month-end,” he told the New Straits Times in an exclusive interview.
The controversy surrounding the shortfall in the GST refunds account arose after Lim, in the Parliament session in August, claimed that the money “had been robbed by the previous administration”.
Following the former Penang chief minister’s statement, Rembau MP Khairy Jamaluddin and Irwan lodged a report with the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) to investigate the matter.
Police recorded Lim’s statement over the claims on Aug 21.
Later, in a statement, Lim said the missing monies had affected 121,429 companies and individuals, who had not received their refunds since 2015.
Kiandee said among those who had been called in by PAC in relation to the probe were Customs director-general Datuk Seri Subromaniam Tholasy, as well as other senior personnel of the Finance Ministry.
“We have asked the Audit Department to carry out an audit on the claims and the sum.
“We hope to wrap up the case by the end of the month during the Parliament session.”