INTERNATIONAL Trade and Industry minister Tengku Datuk Seri Zafrul Abdul Aziz said there is no arising issue relating to the alleged misappropriation of government funds during Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin’s administration.
Zafrul told reporters today (Dec 8) that he is open to being investigated by the authorities. While he had nothing to hide, he also did not see the need to provide any public explanation on the matter.
“I don’t want to explain at the moment because we will wait first to see if there is anything for us to explain. The Finance Ministry can explain,” he said following an event at Bandar Malaysia.
“What’s important is that if there is any arising issue that is not right, we will highlight it. But I don’t think there is any. And if I receive a call from the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC), I will cooperate. The Finance Ministry will do the same.”
On Tuesday (Dec 6) it was reported that MACC had opened an investigation paper into the alleged misappropriation of RM600 bil in funds when Muhyiddin was prime minister.
MACC chief commissioner Tan Sri Azam Baki confirmed the matter but declined to reveal more details on the investigation being carried out by the agency.
Muhyiddin had denied any misappropriation of funds in his government’s expenditure, adding that his administration had spent RM530 bil through eight stimulus packages, not RM600 bil as claimed.
He also told Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim to ask Tengku Zafrul whether there was any embezzlement of the funds, since he served as the finance minister in the Muhyiddin Cabinet. He said he is not afraid to be investigated over the controversy.
Last month, former Malacca chief minister Adly Zahari raised claims over the usage of emergency funds totalling more than RM600 bil when the country was facing the COVID-19 pandemic. – Dec 8, 2022
