A serious allegation was made against the previous government yesterday in Parliament regarding unpaid GST input tax claims. Minister of Finance said RM19bn was misappropriated and therefore not paid back to businesses who had made claims on their input tax.
I made two points. 1) I asked of the RM19bn unpaid input tax claims, how many were because of non compliance with GST regulations, how many the subject of ongoing customs audits and how many unpaid because of “misappropriation”? We have to be clear about the details.
After waffling for a bit about the missing amounts being “certified” Finance Minister finally admitted he did not have a detailed breakdown of why input tax claims were not paid.
2) I said the allegation of misappropriation or “rompakan” (to use his word) is serious and should not just be made by way of a speech in Parliament but must be subject to a full and transparent investigation that can bring the perpetrators to justice.
My former colleague @Mustapa_Mohamed concurred that a thorough investigation must be conducted to substantiate the allegation, establish if a crime was committed & find out who (if anyone) was responsible.
To this, Finance Minister @guanenglim said an “internal inquiry” will be conducted first by @MOFmalaysia following which the Cabinet will decide how to proceed. And that was how the matter ended last night.
Today, I would like to once again call for this matter to be investigated and substantiated beyond the Minister’s speech in parliament which was devoid of a detailed breakdown of the unpaid claims.
I do not think an internal inquiry by @MOFmalaysia is sufficient when a serious allegation of misappropriation or “rompakan” has been made. Since @guanenglim is not keen on anything beyond an internal inquiry for now, I would like to nudge this along in the public’s interest.
Later today and tomorrow I will be lodging a report with @PDRMsia and @SPRMMalaysia against former top officials of @MOFmalaysia at the material time the allegation took place. This is so that an open investigation can take place to a certain the veracity of @guanenglim’s expose.
Otherwise we are left with sensational headlines about RM19bn missing or stolen without any real evidence being presented. If true, bring those responsible to justice. As a former minister, such a misappropriation, if true, must be investigated thoroughly & openly.
So, rather than waiting for some internal inquiry by @MOFmalaysia, I hope @PDRMsia and @SPRMMalaysia will investigate @guanenglim’s allegation once my reports are made.
