ISMAIL Sabri Yaacob today demanded that Finance Minister Lim Guan Eng be subjected to disciplinary action for misleading parliament with his claim that Barisan Nasional government has stolen the goods and services tax refunds.
The Opposition leader said Lim, who is the Bagan MP, should face the rights and privileges committee now that the Public Accounts Committee had found his claim to be erroneous.
“Bagan had made allegations that the RM19.4 billion in outstanding GST refunds were stolen.”
“It is clear from the PAC’s findings that no money has been stolen. Hence, I would like to request for Bagan to be referred to the rights and privileges committee for confusing the House.”
Clause 36(12) of Parliament’s Standing Orders states that a member of parliament may be referred to the rights and privileges committee for the offence of confusing the house.
Deputy Speaker Nga Kor Ming told him to put forward a written submission to the speaker.
“Send a formal motion to the speaker. We will look at it,” he said.
Ismail’s demand followed the PAC’s presentation of its report in parliament this morning on Lim’s claim that GST refunds were missing, ostensibly stolen by the former government.
PAC chairman Noraini Ahmad said the BN government had miscalculated the goods and services tax it was due to collect She said the money that was set aside for refunds, therefore, went to expenditures.
“The money has not gone missing,” she said.
In August last year, the finance minister had announced that RM19.4 billion in outstanding tax returns were lost, suggesting that the country had been “robbed” by the preceding government .
Meanwhile, Rembau-BN MP Khairy Jamaluddin asked that the question of disciplinary action for Lim be decided in the current sitting as it was a matter of urgency. He said the written submission required by the deputy speaker would cause the case to be delayed until October when the House next convenes.
“This is a current issue although the speech was made in August because the report was tabled today and it confirms that the allegation is untrue and inaccurate.”
“This is a matter of urgency. I hope this can be discussed in this session.”
Khairy said the accusation had also damaged the BN government’s image.
Nga stood firm on the need for a written submission, however, for the sake of being “fair to both sides of the bench”.
Ayer Hitam-BN MP Wee Ka Siong asked if the Speaker could guarantee that the case would be probed in the current sitting, which ends on Thursday, if a motion is filed as requested.
Khairy said an assurance was needed although the opposition would obey the decision for a written submission.
Nga assured the opposition that a decision will be made in accordance with the Standing Orders.
“If the Standing Orders require a decision to be made in this session, then it will be done accordingly.
“A fair decision will be made based on the Standing Orders.” – July 15, 2019.
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