THE Government must reiterate its stance on corruption by tabling a motion in Dewan Rakyat to adopt the Public Accounts Committee’s (PAC) findings into Bank Negara’s purchase of government land in 2017 whose proceeds were later used to bail out 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB), said Iskandar Puteri MP Lim Kit Siang.
The DAP veteran noted that Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Parliament and Law) Datuk Seri Dr Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar had previously stated that the country was committed to the United Nations Convention Against Corruption (UNCAC) and has undertaken several efforts to prove its seriousness.
According to Wan Junaidi, the Government’s commitment was proven through efforts to seize a part of the assets confiscated by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission in the 1MDB scandal amounting to RM5 bil as well as the implementation of the National Anti-Corruption Plan (NACP) 2019-2023.
“To walk the talk, I call on Wan Junaidi to introduce a motion in the Dewan Rakyat on Monday to adopt the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) report confirming suspicion that Bank Negara funds were used for the 1MDB bailout,” Lim said.
The PAC, which on Monday ((Dec 13) tabled its report on the land purchase, found that Bank Negara had purchased it for RM2.07 bil even though the Valuation and Property Services Department had put the value at RM1.422 billion.
“Proceeds from the sale were used for payment under the 1MDB rationalisation plan on Dec 31, 2017,” PAC chairperson Wong Kah Woh had pointed out.
The PAC in its findings also noted that Bank Negara had never planned to purchase the land before the Finance Ministry made the offer.
The panel added that the purchase of the land was also not part of Bank Negara’s strategic plan from 2015 to 2017 even though Bank Negara later claimed it wanted to develop an education services hub.
The 22.5-hectare land, referred to as Lot 41, is adjacent to the Sasana Kijang complex belonging to Bank Negara.
The PAC further noted that Bank Negara had failed to conduct sufficient due diligence in the purchase of Lot 41, and that the central bank’s board had made a decision to purchase the land within nine days after discussing with the Finance Ministry (Aug 15, 2017) and three days after the offer was made by the Finance Ministry (Aug 21, 2017).
“The transaction was completed in a short time of four months. All these raised suspicion that Bank Negara was facing pressure from the government to make the decision.” – Dec 17, 2021
