‘Look into RM600bil spending lapses’

PUTRAJAYA: There were several serious lapses in the alleged RM600bil expenditure during Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin’s term as prime minister, says Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.

“From what I have been informed, there have been several serious (procedural breaches) involving a huge amount and a few projects, whereby the mark-ups were too high and handed over to specific parties,” he told the press after chairing the first Cabinet meeting at Perdana Putra here yesterday. “This has resulted in those parties spending extravagantly.”

The Prime Minister also said there had been no discussion yet on whether or not a Royal Commission of Inquiry (RCI) was required to investigate the matter.

He added that he would leave it to the discretion of the Cabinet to decide on the next course of action. “It was not mentioned in the Cabinet meeting, and as such, I will leave it to them and the necessary departments to assess the issue,” he said.

He had been asked about the need for an RCI to investigate the allegations.

The issue of the RM600bil spent during the Covid-19 pandemic was initially raised by former Melaka Chief Minister Adly Zahari on Nov 15.

Muhyiddin, also Perikatan Nasional chairman, had said that he never embezzled or misused funds meant to help the people and that if he did, investigations would have started long ago.