The Public Accounts Committee (PAC), which has released its follow-up report on Bank Negara Malaysia’s (BNM) RM2.07 billion purchase of a 55.79-acre plot of land known as Lot 41 in December 2017, was also told by Asri that all 1MDB coupon payments were transparent after the change of government in 2018.

PAC’s initial report into the sale of Lot 41 last December found that BNM did not plan to purchase it before an offer was made by the finance ministry, with the central bank also found to have “overpaid” for the land. Proceeds from the sale went towards repaying 1MDB debts.

“There have been no more sale of government assets to pay any coupons related to 1MDB,” Asri said when questioned by PAC chairman Wong Kah Woh if there had been any more such land sales.

Meanwhile, asked by Wong if BNM had completed any other substantial purchases of land since 2017, BNM governor Nor Shamsiah Yunus replied, “No, no more”.

BNM has said it plans to develop a financial services education hub on the land, with the ground-breaking set for early next year. Parts of the land will also be reserved for future development.

In its recommendations to PAC, BNM said it has strengthened its procurement policies, including increasing the scope of due diligence and internal governance.

It said all significant transactions with the government, including the purchase of land, would be disclosed separately in its annual financial statements.

The central bank also said that in future, it would get land valuations from at least two valuers and would go through several committees before finalising such purchases.

In its report last year, the PAC said that the RM2.07 billion price tag, based on a valuation conducted by Suleiman & Co, was particularly high as the valuation and property services department had valued the lot at about RM1.42 billion based on the existing ownership status.

The PAC also said paying RM2.07 billion was not justified when the land use on the title had not been changed.