Dr Mahathir, Anwar investigated for criminal breach of trust, says IGP
(TMI) – DR Mahathir Mohamad and Anwar Ibrahim, who were among others recently implicated in Bank Negara Malaysia’s forex losses 30 years ago, are being investigated for criminal breach of trust, police said today.
The two were implicated in a royal commission of Inquiry report which was tabled in parliament earlier this week.
Inspector-General of Police Mohamad Fuzi Harun said in Kuala Lumpur there will be no time frame for the investigation – under Section 409 of the Penal Code – which deals with criminal breach of trust by public servants.
Conviction carries a maximum sentence of 20 years, with whipping and fine, to be determined by the court.
The RCI was formed to determine the truth behind BNM’s losses, totalling RM31.5 billion, due to forex trading between 1992 and 1994.
The commission’s report pinned the blame for the losses on former BNM adviser Nor Mohamed Yakcop, and also implicated then prime minister Dr Mahathir and Anwar, who was finance minister at the time.
“The investigation is ongoing. It is too early to give comment. I don’t want to jump the gun,” Fuzi told reporters at the Malaysian Police Training Centre in Kuala Lumpur today.
“We will take whatever time we need. If there are not many witnesses, then maybe the investigations can be concluded early.”
On Thursday, royal commission of inquiry (RCI) secretary Dr Yusof Ismail lodged a police report in Putrajaya based on the commission’s findings, which blamed Dr Mahathir, Anwar and other figures for billions in forex losses over two decades ago.
Police have set up a special team following the lodging of the report.
The finding of the RCI report, which was presented to the Yang di-Pertuan Agong on October 13, was also tabled in Parliament on Thursday.
The RCI, led by Petronas chairman Mohd Sidek Hassan, had concluded Bank Negara Malaysia recorded a loss of RM31.5 billion in forex losses between 1992 and 1994.
Blame also went to Dr Mahathir and Anwar, who the RCI said were liable to be investigated for common intention or abetting.
It also concluded that the losses involved a criminal breach of trust on the part of Nor Mohamed Yakcop, a central bank adviser who was in charge of the forex portfolio at the time.
Other figures that the RCI recommended investigation into are former deputy governor Lin See Yan, BNM board of directors, and officials from the National Audit Department and Finance Ministry.
Dr Mahathir has said he will file a judicial review to block the RCI report should the panel refuse to include his written submission and other legal documents totalling 495-pages.
