THERE should be a Royal Commission of Inquiry (RCI) for all scandals in Malaysia, said Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng.

Lim said the RCI report into the central bank’s forex scandal of the 1990s that was tabled in parliament today showed there is RM31.5 billion missing when previously it announced it was RM10.7 billion.

“If we look at BNM figures at that time, there was no mention of RM31.5 billion. The difference now in the report is about RM21 billion ringgit. 

“How can RM21 billion be hidden in BNM accounts?” he said at a press conference in parliament. 

Lim said the report stated the funds was amortize over a period of 10 years but it would not be easy because it would be detected by international monetary financiers and observers.

“We want to know how it was done when international experts can’t detect it.

“How come it was hidden so cleverly only the RCI found it?

“If you can hide information like this, what assurances is there information is also hidden on 1MDB, FGV, Mara. 

“Are we going to only discover it 20 year later when you form a RCI?

“Let us have a RCI for every scandal. So there is no hidden figures and cover up.”

On RCI’s recommendations the police investigate former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad and former finance minister Anwar Ibrahim for criminal breach of trust and fraud over the forex losses, Lim said if there is any wrong doing, then they should take action.

RCI also urged the police to investigate BNM’s board of directors, the National Audit Office and Finance Ministry.

Putrajaya presented the findings of the RCI in Parliament today.

Copies of the 400-page RCI report in Malay and English were placed on the MPs’ desks.

The report was presented to the Yang di Pertuan Agong Sultan Muhammad V by the RCI panel, comprising Mohd Sidek Hassan Md Said, Tajuddin Atan, Saw Choo Soon, and P. Kanagarayar, on October 13.

The RCI was set up to verify allegations of massive foreign currency trading losses BNM incurred in the 1990s.

The RCI will also determine whether there was an attempt to conceal the losses, including the giving of statements by senior officials to fool the Cabinet, Parliament and the public.

Forty-two documents were submitted during proceedings.

Twenty-five witnesses including Dr Mahathir, Anwar, and former finance minister Daim Zainuddin, testified during the eight days of hearing.

Former central bank adviser Nor Mohamed Yakcop was also summoned to give a statement.

Today is the last day of the last Dewan Rakyat session for the year. – November 30, 2017.