Police to record Lim Guan Eng’s statement over missing GST refunds

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Lim Guan Eng

 

KUALA LUMPUR: Finance Minister Lim Guan Eng’s statement over the missing RM19.25 billion in the Goods and Services Tax (GST) Refunds Trust Account will be recorded by the police next week.

Lim, who is also DAP Secretary-General, said his full cooperation with the police has proved that the new government wants the truth to prevail.

He said former Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak has no more excuses not to answer three pertinent questions over the missing RM19.25 billion in the GST Refunds Trust Account that affected 121,429 companies and individuals.

“Did Najib authorise that GST refunds not be made within two weeks as required by the law? Did he approve the decision by Tan Sri Dr Mohd Irwan Serigar not to transfer the full amount of RM82.9 billion refunds as requested by Customs, but only RM63.5 billion since 2015, to the GST Refunds Trust Account?

“Did he approve that the GST refunds not paid back since 2015, were to be recognised as government revenue instead and used as the government pleased?” Lim said in a statement here today.

The government faced a shortfall of RM19.25 billion because there is only RM148.6 million in the GST Refunds Trust Account, when there should be RM19.4 billion.

He said this was confirmed by Customs Director-General Datuk Seri T Subromaniam who stated that the department, during the monthly Trust Fund committee meetings, had requested that RM82.9 billion be transferred to the GST Refunds Trust Account, but only RM63.5 billion was effected. – Bernama