Anwar summoned by task force on BNM forex losses


(MMO) – The special task force reviewing the foreign exchange transaction losses amounting to billions in the 90s today called in Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim for its investigation.

Anwar was deputy prime minister when the losses were suffered by Bank Negara Malaysia and was finance minister when the scandal became public.

The PKR de facto leader was taken from Sungai Buloh Prison where he is currently serving a five-year sentence for sodomy, and brought to the Finance Ministry in Putrajaya.

Anwar’s daughter and Lembah Pantai MP, Nurul Izzah Anwar, said the family was notified of this today.

“We were not given the clearance to see him and even lawyer R Sivarasa was not allowed to represent my father during the said hearing,” she was quoted as saying by news portal Malaysiakini.

Anwar leaving the task force hearing

Anwar previously said he would co-operate with the task force if required to do so.

He also reminded the public of his earlier calls for the matter to be exhaustively investigated.

Putrajaya formed the task force in February after former BNM assistant governor Datuk Abdul Murad Khalid claimed in an interview that the central bank racked up US$10 billion in foreign exchange losses during the early 1990s.

The scandal was among the biggest from Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s time as prime minister.

Chief Secretary to the Government Tan Sri Mohd Sidek Hassan is heading the task force that includes senior officials from the Finance Ministry, Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission, the police’s Commercial Crimes Department, the Securities Commission, and others.

The task force is expected to deliver its findings to the Cabinet in June and will include a recommendation on whether a royal commission of inquiry is necessary.

 



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