RCI concludes probe into BNM forex scandal

PUTRAJAYA: The Royal Commission of Inquiry (RCI) into the losses suffered by Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM) due to foreign exchange (forex) trading in the 1990s concluded its proceedings today at the Palace of Justice here after calling its 25th witness.
In concluding the proceedings which spanned across nine days, RCI chairman Tan Sri Mohd Sidek Hassan said 25 witnesses were called while 42 documents were submitted to the five-member commission throughout the period from Aug 8.
The last witness, former Auditor-General Tan Sri Ishak Tadin, however was unable to testify during the proceedings due to memory loss, according to his son.

Rizal Ishak told the commission that his father's memory and thinking skills have been impaired for the past 10 years and would render him unable to recollect key events relevant to the inquiry.
"My father started suffering cognitive impairment sometime in 2007. As a result, he is unable to recall memories and suffers occasionally from short-term memory loss.
"In fact, in his mind, he thinks he is still 70 years old, when he is already 85," he told the commission, adding that his father has only vague memories of that period in question.
Ishak served as the country's Auditor-General between 1991 and 1994, when BNM suffered the massive losses.
Previous witnesses who appeared before the RCI included former premier Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, former deputy prime minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, former finance minister Tun Daim Zainuddin, and former BNM governor Tan Sri Dr Zeti Akhtar Aziz.
Petronas chairman Mohd Sidek and other members of the RCI panel, including High Court judge Datuk Kamaludin Md Said, Bursa Malaysia CEO Datuk Seri Tajuddin Atan, Special Task Force to Facilitate Business co-chairman Tan Sri Saw Choo Boon and Malaysian Institute of Accountants member K. Puspanathan, are expected to submit their findings to the Yang di-Pertuan Agong in three months following the commission's setting up.