This article first appeared in The Edge Financial Daily on November 23, 2018

KUALA LUMPUR: The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) expects to table its report on the RM19.4 billion funds earmarked for goods and services tax (GST) refunds which are now missing, in the next Parliament sitting, according to two committee members.

In a joint statement yesterday, PAC committee members Wong Shu Qi (PH-Kluang) and Wong Hon Wai (PH-Bukit Bendera) said their PAC colleague Datuk Seri Ahmad Hamzah (BN-Jasin) had jumped to his own and pre-judged conclusion that the monies meant for GST refunds are not missing and remain in the federal government’s consolidated accounts.

“The PAC is currently in the midst of housekeeping for the GST-refund proceedings and has yet to deliberate on the testimony of the witnesses and the findings. Contrary to what Ahmad Hamzah has claimed, the PAC report is not expected to be tabled until the next Parliament sitting. It is also factually [wrong] for Ahmad Hamzah to state that the said sum of RM19.4 billion is in the consolidated accounts,” said the lawmakers who are both from the DAP.

“The PAC had sat on the matter and numerous witnesses including former finance minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak, and former Treasury secretary-general Tan Sri Irwan Serigar were called. The final witness, that is, the (current) Finance Minister Lim Guan Eng, had also completed his testimony to the PAC on Nov 14,” they said.

On Wednesday, while Guan Eng was winding up his speech relating to the Supply Bill (Budget 2019), Ahmad had questioned Guan Eng’s assertion that RM19.4 billion earmarked for GST refunds had gone missing. He also maintained it was not appropriate for Guan Eng, who is also DAP secretary-general, to discuss the matter as the bipartisan PAC is deliberating on it.

Shu Qi and Hon Wai said as a PAC member, Ahmad should not mislead the House with his own conclusions.

“Further, Ahmad Hamzah, when addressing his own and pre-judged conclusion as to the factual findings of the proceedings, has failed to demonstrate his impartiality on the subject matter that is expected from a PAC member. There is a serious conflict of interest.

“We trust that it is prudent for Ahmad Hamzah to wait for the PAC to deliberate on the findings and present its report to the Parliament. The PAC will seek and reveal the truth to all,” they added.