Willie crosses sword with Wong over use of RM19 billion GST

By Adrian Lim

KUCHING, May 23:   Puncak Borneo MP Willie Mongin and Subang MP Wong Chen cross sword over whether there was any foul play in the use of RM19 billion Goods and Services Tax.

Both quoting Public Account Committee (PAC) hansards as evidence of their claims.

Willie, in his social media posting, has questioned whether the RM19 billion has been stolen.  He then answered his own question and stated that the accusation of former Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak abusing the tax money was untrue.

Willie, who is also Planation Industries and Commodities Deputy Minister II, continued to say that he had informed PAC of the fact when he was a member but was told off by Wong to toe the line of the Pakatan Harapan (PH) coalition and let DAP handle it.

“In fact the money was never robbed by Umno or Najib. The money was used for government purpose with proper records.

“I told PAC, when I was the member, to tell the truth. But YB Wong Chen, told me to toe the line and say to me ‘let DAP handle it’ . We have to support government of the day.

“I insisted and I told them in PAC, this is not true and we have to tell the truth, I say – ‘What are we doing here if the thing is not true’  during the PAC proceeding (can refer to PAC hansard). Two weeks after that, I was removed from PAC.

“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  is being preached. Now I can tell it to public as it is no longer under embargo,” said Willie in his posting today.

Meanwhile, in response to Willie, Wong also posted his social media page and demanded Willie to apologise for the allegation the former made.

Among his arguments, Wong denied the allegation made by Willie as the former said he had no authorities to instruct what Willie should do.

“Willie alleges that I instructed him to stay quiet (on the GST RM19 billion hearings of the PAC) and 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 under performance as a PAC member.  In fact, I recall that he was mostly quiet in PAC hearings.The public records of all his PAC hearings are proof.

“Secondly, he is in Azmin’s (former deputy president of Parti Keadilan Rakyat) camp and my relationship with Azmin has been on negative territory since 2016. So why would an Azmin core supporter ever take instructions from me.

“Thirdly, my position on the RM19 billion GST are officially recorded in hansards. I can say that I was the most critical member of the PAC on these particular hearings. To say that I instructed Willie to keep quiet, does not match with my 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,” said Wong. – DayakDaily