Ex-minister gives statement to BNM over forex scandal

PUTRAJAYA: Former finance minister II Tan Sri Nor Mohamed Yakcop has given a statement to the Special Task Force probing Bank Negara Malaysia’s (BNM) foreign exchange (forex) losses in the 1990s.

Nor Mohamed, who is Khazanah Nasional Berhad deputy chairman, arrived at the Finance Ministry at 3.25pm on Thursday, before he was seen leaving the compund about 45 minutes later.

Attempts to get his comments over the meeting with the task force were futile as he only smiled at members of the press who were gathered at the Federal Treasury Building before entering a vehicle.

Nor Mohamed had served BNM from 1968 to 2000. He also assumed the post of BNM adviser from 1989 to April 1994, and BNM Special Adviser from September 1998 until April 2000 to advise the governor on matters pertaining to financial policies.

On May 15, 2000, he was appointed special economic adviser to the then-prime minister, Datuk Seri (now Tun) Dr Mahathir Mohamad whereby, Nor Mohamed was given the task to restructure corporate Malaysia after the 1998 crisis.

The task force, chaired by former chief secretary to the government Tan Sri Mohd Sidek Hassan, was set up to probe the forex loss of USD10 billion (approximately RM44 billion) incurred by the central bank between 1991 and 1993.

Meanwhile, Mohd Sidek said all the individuals with links to the case had come forward to give their statements.

“We have called those people whom we need to call,” he said when asked whether there were still other individuals who had yet to be called to give statements on the case.

Asked further on whether all individuals had come forward, Mohd Sidek nodded and said in a brief, “yes” before entering his car.