Pandora papers: PM orders related bodies to continue investigating

KUALA LUMPUR: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has ordered related bodies to continue investigations related to the Pandora Papers thoroughly to ensure that action can be taken.

He said the investigation which among others involves the police, Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission and the Inland Revenue Board, was focused on big personalities in the country including the former prime minister and former finance minister who were believed to have misused powers to garner wealth during their tenure of service.

"My instruction to these bodies is to continue thorough investigations and I am asking my fellow members of parliament, comprising a total of 222 individuals, to take a firm stance not to be protective and dispute the intentions of the investigation.

"If there is proof...there are facts, then action will be taken but if action is taken without facts then it can be challenged as an abuse of power or being politically motivated.

"But if hundreds of billions or millions of ringgit are siphoned off, it will bring ruin and disaster to the country.

"At the international level, this is an expose but not many countries have the political determination to direct a thorough investigation but Alhamdulilah, Malaysia is a country which clearly wants to take action and stop this practice, the culture of shifting, looting the country's money," he said during the Prime Minister's Question and Answer in the Dewan Rakyat on Tuesday (Feb 21).

Anwar said this in reply to a question by Datuk Seri Dr Noraini Ahmad (BN-Parit Sulong) who wanted to know the government's stance on the Pandora Papers issue as well as the extent of the investigation and follow-up action by the party conducting the investigation.

To a supplementary question by Noraini about steps taken by the government to ensure transparency and accountability of the financial industry and tax protection, Anwar, who is also Finance Minister, said the government has established transparency in the open tender process, especially involving Bumiputeras.

"There is a practice of using the opportunity to help Bumiputeras but embezzling of money cannot be allowed.

"While there is a policy to help the Bumiputeras, we cannot allow Bumiputeras to ask companies to give money to individuals and parties," he said.

Answering an additional question from Datuk Seri Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man (PN-Kubang Kerian) on whether the government intends to examine offshore accounts including political funds that have been channelled abroad, the Prime Minister said these matters including the Pandora Papers are a priority because it affects the interests of the country as a whole.

Elaborating further, Anwar said the amount of money involved in the Pandora Papers issue is considered quite high when compared to the total population and the country's economic position, and Malaysia was also at the top in addition to other big countries such as China and Saudi Arabia.

"Money that was taken out of Malaysia was from illicit sources, mostly illegal but I can't say all are (illegal).

"This is up to the investigative body but this number is quite high for this country.

"Even though there are 3,000 (names), the priority is according to the coordination of the investigative bodies, and it is not excluding the funds from abroad or within the country or to offshore tax havens to eluding tax, and those that violate the law are being investigated and several actions have been taken," he said.

He also assured that the investigation regarding the issue will not be shoddily carried out as it must serve as a lesson to all parties that the government would not allow such matters to persist. - Bernama