ANWAR TELLS GUAN ENG: JUST FOCUS ON INCREASING INVESTORS' CONFIDENCE

KUALA LUMPUR: Be wise in balancing the importance of convincing foreign investors and the responsibility of exposing the misconducts of the previous government, PKR de facto leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim tells Finance Minister Lim Guan Eng.

Anwar, in an interview with Astro Awani, said Lim must be careful in making statements as they would be used as reference by investors.

Anwar, who is a former finance minister, proposed that the responsibility of exposing misconducts be given to another ministry or agency.

“I have told Lim that the finance minister’s post is most sensitive,” he said.

Anwar was asked to comment on a Moody’s Investors Service report that said the transition of power following the 14th General Election had introduced some policy uncertainty. Analysts said this would lead to negative ratings of Malaysia’s economy and affect investor confidence.

“He (Lim) should leave the job of exposing (misconduct) to someone else. It can be delegated to other ministers, as well as the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) to explain matters pertaining to these revelations.”

He said this would allow Lim to focus on increasing investor confidence.

Lim, who is also DAP secretarygeneral, was reported as saying that there were several other scandals in the Finance Ministry to be revealed.

Lim said he valued Anwar’s advice, but insisted he would continue to reveal alleged misconduct by the previous government before handing the task to other ministers and MACC.

He said statements made to the media, especially pertaining to 1Malaysia Development Bhd, were done under the instructions of Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, adding that Anwar was aware of this.

He said it would not be right for him to direct other ministers to expose financial scandals of the previous government as it involved his ministry.

“My ministry will continue to expose financial scandals within the first 100 days as directed by the prime minister.”

He said he met Anwar several times to inform the latter of the status of the country’s economy, as well as the financial scandals.

“Anwar was shocked to learn about the negative impact with regard to the misconduct of the previous government in the form of falsifying financial statements, hiding files, as well as red files, which could only be seen by certain people.

“The people deserve to know the state of our economy and the country’s financial status. When I met Anwar, he agreed.”