PUTRAJAYA, Dec 6 – There had been breaches of regulations in the way public funds had been used during the Perikatan Nasional’s administration of the government, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim reiterated today, disputing former prime minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin’s statement that there had been no such misuse of government funds.
At a press conference earlier on Monday, Anwar said finance ministry officials had informed him of serious breaches in the standard procedures and processes in government expenditure during Muhyiddin’s governance.
The PN government is alleged to have violated several rules in the RM500 billion to RM600 billion spent during the pandemic period.
Muhyiddin has disputed this, saying that not even one sen of the more than RM500 billion in stimulus and aid measures his government spent during the Covid-19 pandemic was misused
At a press conference today, aired live on Facebook, Anwar issued a warning to Muhyiddin, telling him not to challenge him into disclosing the alleged misappropriation of government funds.
While the previous government had indicated that it had spent huge sums of money on the people, Anwar said a large amount of that money came from the Employees Provident Fund, that came from the people’s own money.
He said there were also tens of billions spent where procedures and processes were not followed.
In a statement released in Facebook later, Anwar recapped the highlights of his press conference.
New Budget
He said the new budget will be discussed next year together with the opening of the new term of Dewan Rakyat which will be inaugurated by the King. The budget will be given a new breath and a new approach that will cover issues of poverty gap and specific measures to ensure a fresher climate to encourage investment, restore confidence and drive economic growth.
Flood Relief Project
He said the RM7 billion approved by the past government from the total RM15 billion for the flood relief project will be reviewed because it was approved without the proper processes to follow. This is to ensure that the principles of transparency is followed.
BERNAS
Anwar said he had also discussed the issue of Bernas with Tan Sri Syed Mokhtar. “I have held a discussion with him before instructing Bernas to pay as much as RM10 million this month and RM50 million next year to the poor and destitute farmers. This decision is not easy because I’m facing a conglomerate whose profit is billions of ringgit, and it is not meant to demolish his empire as the Kedah Minister Besar has claimed.
Anwar said he will be also talking with Tan Sri Hassan Marican and hold discussions with senior officials of the Ministry of Finance and Secretary General of the Treasury about the members of the economic team that he will lead.
–WE