Wait for official report on GST, media urged

PUBLIC Accounts Committee (PAC) chairman Datuk Dr Noraini Ahmad (pic) says she is disappointed with an inaccurate report about the committee’s findings on the Goods and Services Tax (GST).

The article by an online portal did not reflect what was discussed and agreed unanimously by the PAC after meeting for more than 11 months, she said in a statement.

Quoting sources, the portal reported the PAC had found that the previous government had used money due to taxpayers for GST refunds to pay for other expenses because of a shortfall in its income.

Noraini said the article also did not respect the confidentiality of the committee’s report, which can only be made public after it is tabled in the Dewan Rakyat next Tuesday.

She urged the media to be patient and wait for the official report.

In August last year, the Dewan Rakyat was told by Finance Minister Lim Guan Eng that the Barisan Nasional-led government had not been able to refund companies their tax credit from GST because 93% of the money had not been placed in the correct account.

In a separate statement, Rembau MP Khairy Jamaluddin threatened to cite Lim to the Rights and Privi­leges Committee for misleading the House, if the committee confirms no GST money was missing.

“The accusations of ‘robbing’ were made while I was debating during the debate to abolish the GST Act and to introduce the Sales and Service Tax,” he said.