Police probing GST ‘robbery’ by former govt

KAJANG: Bukit Aman will investigate allegations that some RM19bil in Goods and Services Tax (GST) refunds were “robbed” by the former Barisan Nasional government, says Datuk Seri Abdul Hamid Bador.

In responding to Rembau MP Khairy Jamaluddin’s call for the police to investigate the matter, the Inspector-General of Police said police would take the necessary action.

“We accept his request and are in the midst of investigating the allegation. We will consider several aspects to see if further action is required,” he said after presenting the Pingat Jasa Pahlawan Negara at the General Operations Force’s base in Semenyih yesterday.

Asked whether Finance Minister Lim Guan Eng would be called in to have his statement recorded, Abdul Hamid said so far, police had yet to summon him.

On Monday, Khairy urged the police to issue a statement after the Public Accounts Committee had cleared the former government of “robbing” some RM19bil in GST refunds.

He said this was because the allegations were tantamount to accusations of criminal activity.

The Public Accounts Committee had in its report said no money went missing from the GST refunds, instead the sum was used for operational and development expenditures.

PAC chairman Datuk Dr Noraini Ahmad said that the Barisan government had collected the money and kept it in the consolidated revenue account and then transferred it in stages, as decided by the GST refund repayment committee when it was needed.