PAC summons Najib over missing GST refunds

KUALA LUMPUR (Oct 24): The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) has summoned former minister of finance Datuk Seri Najib Razak to a meeting today at the parliament to give statements regarding the allegedly missing RM19.4 billion good and services tax (GST) credit returns.

Speaking to reporters after the meeting, the chairman of the committee Datuk Seri Dr Ronald Kiandee said Najib had given his best cooperation for the proceedings.

"I cannot reveal to you what transpired inside (the meeting) but he has given us the best cooperation. He clarified on all the questions asked by the members of PAC," he said.

"[Najib explained] the movement of the government's financial flow, GST collection and GST refunds," Kiandee added.

Kiandee said the next and final witness for the proceedings will be current finance minister Lim Guan Eng. The date of the meeting was tentatively set at Oct 30, but may be postponed till after the upcoming budget announcement.

"For the proceedings this morning, the PAC has obtained the information and confirmation from Datuk Seri Najib regarding some of the key questions that we have brought up and we will include all of it in our report which will be tabled in parliament once we have completed the proceedings," deputy PAC chairman Wong Kah Woh said.

"As far as today is concerned, we have managed to get the testimonials we wanted," he added.

Kiandee added the committee is still working on the necessary legal requirements needed to make the PAC's findings from the proceedings accessible to the public.

"We are currently fighting for the PAC's findings to be made accessible to the public but it will involve amendments to some of the rules of the meeting, including the Houses of Parliament (Privileges and Powers) Act 1952, so until then we cannot reveal what has transpired inside," he said.

Najib was seen evading the media after the meeting to avoid giving any comments. — theedgemarkets.com

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