Police task force to probe possible wrongdoings
KUALA LUMPUR: Police have set up a task force to investigate possible wrongdoings in Bank Negara Malaysia’s foreign exchange losses in the 1990s.
Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Mohamad Fuzi Harun said the Royal Commission of Inquiry (RCI) had lodged a report yesterday.
“We are investigating under Section 409 of the Penal Code for criminal breach of trust,” he told the New Straits Times.
RCI secretary Datuk Dr Yusof Ismail, who is the Finance Ministry Strategic Investment Division director, lodged a report at the Putrajaya police headquarters at 4.10pm.
The police report stated that those involved in the alleged wrongdoings were Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM) officers, BNM Board of Members, National Audit Department, Finance Ministry and the prime minister who served during the period.
RCI, in its 528-page report that was tabled in Parliament yesterday, said Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, who was then finance minister, had misled the government and concealed the actual losses suffered by BNM.
RCI also said then prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad had approved Anwar’s “misleading statements”.
The commission said the losses were far bigger than initially reported by BNM, RM31.5 billion as against RM5.7 billion, in the period of three years.
Yusof said the commission had requested that police investigate possible criminal breach of trust, forgery and other wrongdoings at the time.
“We also request that the Attorney-General’s Chambers take action based on the findings by the police.”
Putrajaya OCPD Assistant Commissioner Rosly Hassan said a special unit in Bukit Aman would investigate the case.