Dr Mahathir to testify in RCI

Former premier Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad will testify on Monday in the Royal Commission of Inquiry (RCI) on Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM)'s foreign exchange losses in the 1990's.

Dr Mahathir's counsel Mohamed Haniff Khatri Abdulla said the subpoena was served through him at 2.35 pm today by RCI officer, Amran Md Jusin.

According to the subpoena, Dr Mahathir is to attend the RCI proceedings on Sept 18 at 11 am, disclosed Mohamed Haniff Khatri when contacted by Bernama.

"The subpoena was supposed to be served on Dr Mahathir this morning but he had to rush to Kedah to pay his last respects to Kedah's Sultan Abdul Halim Mu'adzam Shah. So in order to save time, Dr Mahathir instructed me to accept it on his behalf."

The lawyer said he also informed the officer that he would be sending a letter to the RCI tomorrow to inquire as to when it intended to take a witness statement from Dr Mahathir.

According to Mohamed Haniff other witnesses had had their statements taken except for Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim who is in prison.

Twenty-one witnesses have testified before the RCI including Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, former BNM governor Tan Sri Dr Zeti Akhtar Aziz and former finance minister Tan Sri Nor Mohamed Yakcop.

The five-man panel is chaired by Petronas chairman Tan Sri Mohd Sidek Hassan.

Other members of the panel are High Court judge Datuk Wira Kamaludin Md Said, Bursa Malaysia chief executive officer Datuk Seri Tajuddin Atan, Special Task Force on Facilitating Businesses co-chairman Tan Sri Saw Choo Boon and Malaysian Institute of Accountants member K. Puspanathan.

The RCI panel must complete its inquiry and submit its report to the Yang di-Pertuan Agong by October 13.

-- BERNAMA