KUALA LUMPUR: Former Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said the allegedly misappropriated RM18 billion in Goods and Service Tax (GST) refunds was credited into a consolidated fund, hence should not be considered as a loss.
Zahid also said that he was not aware of the decision to put the RM18 billion of the GST refunds into the consolidated account, which was made under the instruction of the Treasury.
“I do not think it should be considered as a loss as it was added into a consolidated account.
“If the money was used for a purpose that does not comply with the rules or treasury's instruction, only then it should be considered as a theft.
“However, if the money was spent on a variety of projects that are determined based on the annual budget or outside the budget speech, then an additional provision needs to be made for us to debate in Parliament,” he said.
Ahmad Zahid added that the Pakatan Harapan (PH) government should not put the blame on the previous government for every issue they faced.
“They (Pakatan Harapan government) should start acting as the government to solve the issues faced by the people,” he said.
Finance Minister Lim Guan Eng alleged on Wednesday that GST refunds stood at RM19.4 billion as at May 31 this year, but there was only RM1.5 billion in the GST funds.