Wong Chen denies Willie Mongin's "toe party line" allegations, demands apology

Subang MP Wong Chen has denied his former party colleague Willie Mongin's claim that he was ordered by Wong to toe the party line on the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) hearings on the Goods and Services Tax (GST) funds of RM19 billion meant to be returned as refunds.

"Willie alleges that I instructed him (on the GST RM19 billion hearings of the PAC) to "let DAP handle it".

"Firstly, I have never instructed Willie not to do his duty as a PAC member. Surely, I cannot be blamed for his silence and underperformance as a PAC member. In fact, I recall that he was mostly quiet in PAC hearings and the public records of all his PAC hearings are proof," Wong (photo) told Malaysiakini.

"Secondly, he is in Azmin's camp and my relationship with Azmin has been in negative territory since 2016. So why would an Azmin core supporter ever take instructions from me?

"Thirdly, my position on the RM19 billion GST hearings are officially recorded in Hansards. I can say that I was the most critical member of the PAC on this particular hearing.

Wong added that to say he instructed Willie to keep quiet does not match with his own critical views and questions which were also officially recorded.

"I expect Willie to publicly retract his comments about me in his FB post and also offer an apology to me."

In August 2018, former finance minister Lim Guan Eng had initially accused the previous BN government in Parliament of "robbing" and stealing RM19.4 billion meant for GST refunds.

However, in July 2019, the PAC reported that while the previous administration had "breached the law by funnelling money meant for GST refunds into the consolidated revenue account, No money from GST revenue collection was lost."

Willie (above) was elected Puncak Borneo MP under the PKR banner but has since defected and occupied the position of Deputy Minister of Plantation Industries and Commodities in the Perikatan Nasional government.

In a Facebook post entitled "Is RM19 billions GST money really stolen?" he says he was unhappy over developments during his time serving on the PAC.

"In fact, the money was never robbed by Umno or (former prime minister) Najib (Abdul Razak). The money was used for government purposes with proper records. I told the PAC, when I was a member, to tell the truth.

"But Wong Chen told me to toe the line and said to me "let DAP handle it" We have to support the government of the day," alleged Willie.

Willie claimed that he was removed from the PAC because he was determined to tell the truth.

"I don't regret being removed from PAC as that post is without salary and remunerations, but what I regret the most is we are (I was then) from reform party, who advocate justice, fight kleptocracy, talk about transparency and accountability and yet we don't practice what being preached," said Willie in his post.

Najib shared Willie's post, saying it was an example of how Pakatan Harapan had made false allegations against him and BN.

"Up to now Guan Eng has escaped action after he lied to the Dewan Rakyat that I have robbed RM19.2 billion of GST money," said the ex-premier.

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- Mkini