FORMER prime minister Najib Razak and former Treasury secretary-general Mohd Irwan Serigar Abdullah have been summoned to testify at the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) next week, said a source.

The two will be asked to explain to PAC how RM18 billion worth of goods and services tax (GST) refund money went missing.

“They have been scheduled to appear before PAC next Tuesday and Wednesday,” said the source after the committee met at Parliament yesterday.

Finance Minister Lim Guan Eng on August 8 lifted the lid on the RM18 billion in GST refund money which went missing under the previous Barisan Nasional government.

While the total outstanding amount was at RM19.4 billion (as of May 31, 2018), there was only RM1.486 billion left in the refund account, Lim said then.

The finance minister said that the delay of (up to two years) refunding money to companies was due to the shortfall in the refund account. He alleged that BN had spent the money after placing it into a consolidated account.

Lim is scheduled to give his statement to PAC on October 22.

The sum, meant to be input tax credits owed to more than 100,000 companies – with some claims dating back to 2015 – was not in the Tax Refunds Trust Fund after Pakatan Harapan took over the federal government.

Irwan, however, has denied that the GST refund money was used by the previous government.

He also said some RM15 billion in outstanding claims were unpaid as it needed verification and auditing to prevent fraud.

Since reopening investigations in September, PAC has already questioned former second finance ministers Ahmad Husni Hanadzlah and Johari Abdul Ghani.

The 13-member committee is headed by former Dewan Rakyat deputy speaker Ronald Kiandee (BN-Beluran) and assisted by Wong Kah Woh (PH-Ipoh Timur).

The other members are Wong Chen (PH-Subang), Akmal Nasrullah Mohd Nasir (PH-Johor Baru), Willie Mongin (PH-Puncak Borneo), Steven Choong (PH-Tebrau), Hasanuddin Mohd Yunus (PH-Hulu Langat), Wong Hon Wai (PH-Bukit Bendera), Wong Shu Qi (PH-Kluang), Muslimin Yahaya (PH-Sg Besar), Ahmad Hamzah (BN-Jasin), Takiyuddin Hassan (PAS-Kota Baru) and Robert Lawson Chuat (GPS-Betong). – October 17, 2018.