Explain RM207 billion compensation, says Anwar

(Anwar Ibrahim’s Blog) – PKR de facto leader Anwar Ibrahim is taking the BN government to task and wants it to explain what became of the RM207 billion compensation allegedly paid by the Japanese government to surviving victims and the heirs of over 30,000 Malayans used as forced labour for the infamous Death Railway from Siam to Burma during World War II.

He has claimed that the money was not transferred to the Treasury when he was finance minister back in the 1990′s.

“I have said that this money was not dispersed to the Treasury. This RM207 billion is something which the present BN government can’t stay silent.”

“Like the issue brought up in the transfer of suspected illicit funds following the report by the Global Financial Integrity group, where over RM190 billion was unaccounted for. So far, there has not been any comment from the prime minister or the Treasury on this issue. There is a clear neglect of the country’s finances,” he said.

Anwar was asked to comment on the revelation by former Perak menteri besar Mohammad Nizar Jamaluddin that the Japanese government had allegedly paid the compensation to the Malaysian government in the 1990′s.

Nizar had said that he does not know if the money is still in the keeping of the government or had already been disbursed to the victims.

“There were 30,000 who had survived to come back to Malaysia, though some had died, they have heirs who formed the Association of former labourers and heirs of the Siam-Burma 1942-1946 railway construction,” Nizar was quoted saying in a Harakahdaily report.