Finance Minister Lim Guan Eng speaks to reporters at Parliament in Kuala Lumpur August 9, 2018. ― Picture by Firdaus Latif

KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 9 — Finance Minister Lim Guan Eng today has called out former Treasury secretary-general Tan Sri Irwan Serigar Abdullah to explain his involvement in the alleged missing RM18 billion in the Goods and Services Tax (GST) refunds.

Lim, who yesterday said the insufficient amount in the government’s trust fund is proof that Barisan Nasional has purportedly “robbed” Malaysians, said Irwan should participate in the ongoing internal probe initiated by the Finance Ministry.

“I hope he will face the Ministry’s internal inquiry and an open inquiry explaining why he approved the decision to not put the money into the designated trust account.

“He should also state whose approval did he get to make such decision... This is not a light matter,” he said while wrapping up the Customs (Amendment) Bill 2018 at Dewan Rakyat.

Lim was responding to a statement by Irwan today in which he dismissed allegations and added that all amounts due for refund are put under the trust account on a monthly basis.

Irwan also said Lim can obtain the information from the Accountant General's Department and the fiscal division of the ministry.

Yesterday, while tabling the GST (Repeal) Bill 2018 for the second reading in the Dewan Rakyat, Lim said the total outstanding amount of GST refunds since its introduction in 2015 is RM19.4 billion.

He, however, said that the amount left in the trust account is only RM1.486 billion, which leaves a shortfall of RM18 billion.

Lim claimed the money had gone into a consolidated account, instead of the designated trust account, and that it was “used” by the former administration.