PETALING JAYA: DAP parliamentary leader Lim Kit Siang wants to know how the “colossal” forex losses suffered by Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM) in the 1990s could have escaped the attention of any cabinet minister, including Najib Razak who was the defence minister at the time.

He said the commission had recommended that an investigation be carried out to determine the responsibility of BNM officials and other personalities including the prime minister and finance minister.

These positions were then held by Dr Mahathir Mohamad and Anwar Ibrahim.

“What about the responsibility and culpability of the cabinet ministers at the time, including Najib?” Lim asked.

In its report which was made public today, the RCI held Nor Mohamed Yakcop responsible for the losses, but suggested that the former BNM adviser could not have carried on for such a long time without the direct or tacit approval of his superiors and or persons in authority.

“The commission assessed joint liability of these persons which could fall either under Section 34 or Section 107 of the Penal Code, and explained as having common intention or abetting.

“The persons falling under this category would be the deputy governor, the governor, the BNM board of directors, the finance minister and prime minister,” it said.

However, Lim said the BNM forex scandal had not brought Malaysia international infamy and ignominy, unlike the 1MDB issue.

In a statement, he said the RCI had not found any element of corruption or personal gain in the forex losses, which was “a completely different story” from 1MDB.

“One of the RCI’s terms of reference was to determine whether there were elements of deliberate concealment of facts and information, and misleading statements made to the cabinet, Parliament and the public regarding the Bank Negara forex losses.

“This focuses attention on the massive charade of concealment of facts and information and misleading statements made to the cabinet, Parliament and the Malaysian public about the 1MDB scandal when, throughout the world, since the past few years, the 1MDB scandal often made headlines highlighting its corruption and criminality.”

Repeating his call for a RCI to be held on the 1MDB issue, Lim also asked whether those who had concealed facts and information, and made misleading statements on 1MDB would be sent to jail.