Customs officers not involved in 'missing radar' case: DG

SEPANG: Customs officers were not involved in the alleged "missing" container of military radar equipment at the Port of Tanjung Pelepas (PTP) last month.
Stating this, Customs director-general Datuk Subromaniam Tholasy (pix) said investigations conducted by the department revealed no wrongdoing by its officers, adding that they were not involved in the apparent breach of standard operating procedures while handling the container.
"This has got nothing to do with the Customs. There will be other parties that will provide the findings (of the investigation) later. The Customs department is not involved, but we are not accusing any other parties.
"Wait until the full investigations are completed, but I can confirm the Customs department is not involved and we have not done anything that has breached the law," he told a press conference at the department's session with the media at the Avsec Shooting Range here.
Subromaniam called for all parties to not jump to conclusions and wait for confirmation from the authorities investigating the matter.
It was reported by an English daily in June that the high-tech radar equipment had gone missing from the PTP, prompting investigations by the police, Ministry of International Trade and Industry (Miti) and the Customs Department.
Subromaniam had in an immediate response to the issue clarified that the container had not gone missing, but had safely arrived in Rotterdam, Netherlands.
He had explained that as the shipment from Australia involved sophisticated military radar equipment, under the Strategic Trade Act 2010, it required a permit from Miti before being allowed to leave Malaysia.
The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission in its probe into the issue had called in six individuals comprising auxilliary police personnel and Customs officers for questioning.
Meanwhile, Subromaniam said the Goods and Services Tax (GST) refund statements worth over RM36 million submitted by the 12 local councils in Selangor were full of discrepancies.
In rubbishing allegations that the government had held back the RM36 million, Subromaniam said there were doubtful and false elements detected in the refund statements submitted by the local councils.
He said many of the claims made by the 12 local councils were also legally invalid, adding that the department had initiated investigations and an audit over the matter.
On July 4, Balakong assemblyman Eddie Ng Tien Chee had alleged that the federal government owed over RM36 million in GST tax refunds to 12 local councils in Selangor.
Subromaniam said actions under the Goods and Services Tax Act could be taken against the local councils for submitting incorrect statements.