SHAH ALAM - Early investigations into the alleged RM600 billion misapproriation of public funds allotted for the Covid-19 economic stimulus package (2020-2021), has unearthed that a large chunk of the money did not come from the government's coffers.
Instead -- of the total RM530 billion--, only RM92.5 billion were that of the government's whereas the remaining RM437.5 billion were non-government fund, said the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) in a statement today.
"Therefore, the focus of MACC's investigation [over the issue ] will centre on the RM92.5 billion fund.
"The Finance Ministry is still detailing the breakdown [of the probed allocation] and will furnish the figures to the MACC next week," read the statement.
Allegations of irregularities on the use of RM600 billion in emergency funds during the Covid-19 pandemic were first raised by former Melaka chief minister Adly Zahari during the general election campaign on Nov 15.
On Dec 6, MACC chief commissioner Datuk Seri Azam Baki told Bernama that it had opened investigation papers on alleged irregularities concerning the RM600 billion funds under the previous government.
On the same day, Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim told former prime minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin not to challenge the government on the alleged breach of procedures regarding the RM600 billion fund under the Perikatan Nasional chairman’s administration.
A day earlier, Muhyiddin had told a press conference after a Padang Serai election hustings that Anwar should investigate the fund issue properly and gather the correct data before issuing statements.