Rembau MP Khairy Jamaluddin has questioned the need for Petronas to pay RM54 billion in dividend to the government this year, when a large number of claims for Goods and Services Tax (GST) refunds allegedly remain unverified.
He said that the Auditor-General’s Report 2017, which was tabled in Parliament last year, showed that the authenticity of a segment of GST claims has not been verified.
“I have been made to understand that the issue of GST refunds is still being discussed by the Public Accounts Committee (PAC).
“I have (also) been made to understand that RM19 billion in (GST) claims have not been repaid and that this is why the government sought the special dividend from Petronas to help pay off the claims this year,” he said.
“There is a dispute on the claims as, based on a report by the Audit Department, a large number of these claims have not been verified... This is still being discussed at the PAC level,” he added.
Khairy was referring to Finance Minister Lim Guan Eng’s disclosure last year that the previous BN government had failed to reimburse RM19.47 billion in GST refunds to 121,429 companies and individuals.
The former youth and sports minister asked how many of the claims were valid and needed to be repaid now.
“If a large part of this amount (of GST) claims have not been verified, why ask for the money (dividends) from Petronas?” he asked.
Khairy was speaking on the sidelines of the Malaysian Strategic Financial Outlook Forum at the Sunway Resort Hotel and Spa at Bandar Sunway, Petaling Jaya.
The shadow finance minister for the opposition BN coalition noted that the latest figures on GST claims would be tabled by PAC within the next fortnight.
When asked about the government’s response to his allegation, Khairy said that no clear answer had been given so far, especially when the matter was raised in Parliament.
It was reported recently that Petronas would be giving RM54 billion in dividends to the government this year, which includes a one-off special dividend of RM30 billion. - Mkini
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