Mohd Sidek to appoint own team to probe BNM forex scandal

KUALA LUMPUR: The special task force to investigate the Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM) forex scandal will be appointing its own members to ensure independence.
Deputy Finance Minister I Datuk Othman Aziz said task force chairman Tan Sri Mohd Sidek Hassan will be given time to appoint his own members.
"The chairman has been announced, give him (Sidek) time. He will have to come up with his own team.
"He has to be completely independent, or seen to be very independent, right? If the government appoints everyone then that isn't right," Othman told the press today.
Sidek, who is former chief secretary to the government, was appointed to chair the task force last week and will investigate the BNM forex scandal in the late 80's and early 90's.
BNM allegedly engaged in foreign currency speculation in that period through Bumiputera Malaysia Finance Limited (BMF) and lost billions as a result.
Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamad, who was then Prime Minister, and former Bank Negara governor Tan Sri Zeti Akhtar Aziz have promised full cooperation in the probe.