Lim: Police officers’ recent Turkey trip approved in 2017

PUTRAJAYA: The recent Turkey trip for senior police officers was approved back in 2017 and may not have been the first to be sponsored by the Malaysian Totalisator Board, says Finance Minister Lim Guan Eng.

“Let’s just keep to the issue (but) I’m sure under the previous regime, the board had sponsored or made some sponsors,” said Lim when asked if he knew whether the board had sponsored trips before.

Despite being an agency under the Finance Ministry, Lim reiterated that the board did not have to seek its approval to sponsor programmes and activities.

On whether it was normal for the board to sponsor trips involving government officials, Lim said it could make such a decision without having to refer to the minister or ministry.

The board acts as a regulatory body to oversee racing and betting activities, and is funded by Numbers Forecast Totalisator companies.

Lim, who was responding to criticism that the Pakatan Harapan government had let the board sponsor the trip, said the approval was given before Pakatan came into power.

Whistleblower site Sarawak Report reported that Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Mohamad Fuzi Harun and 17 other senior police officers went on a lavish trip to Turkey which cost over RM300,000.

Following this, Home Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin said he had approved the trip and that the officers had attended training to combat online gambling.

Meanwhile, Lim said some parties were dangerously playing the religious card on the issue.

“Some people are accusing us of not being sensitive about religion because the board sponsored the trip.

“I would like to point out that board members had given approval to sponsor this trip back in 2017,” he said after attending the Customs Department Chinese New Year celebration.

Among those who had criticised Lim was Umno Youth chief Datuk Dr Asyraf Wajdi Dusuki, who said the sponsorship from the board was both morally and religiously inappropriate considering the source of the money.

In his speech, the Finance Minister said Malaysia expected better economic growth this year compared to what was being forecast by international and financial analysts.

This confidence, he said, was based on several impressive records last year.

These included a 10-year high in exports with close to RM1 trillion along with an improved trade surplus which had risen to RM120bil from RM98bil previously.

He said despite being perceived as an inexperienced government, the Pakatan administration had the conviction and commitment to ensure good governance and was willing to work hard to improve the country’s economic climate.

“We are also hoping to surpass the target of the Sales and Service Tax (SST) for this year, considering that we collected 34% more than expected (in 2018),” he said.

Lim added that between Sept 1 and Dec 31 last year, RM5.4bil in SST was collected.

The Customs Department has set a target of RM22bil for SST collection this year.