KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 2 ― Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim expressed today astonishment that he is yet confirmed to be a witness in an ongoing royal inquiry into Bank Negara Malaysia’s massive foreign exchange losses.

The PKR leader who was finance minister at the time questioned the delay by the Royal Commission of Inquiry (RCI) chaired by Tan Sri Sidek Hassan in deciding whether or not to call for his testimony in the hearing that started August 21.

"It would be farcical if this enquiry is concluded without hearing my testimony,” Anwar, currently serving a five-year jail sentence for sodomy, said in a statement.

He pointed out that there have been repeated references made to him in the hearing to date and stressed that it necessary for him to be allowed to speak if the commission wanted to "get to the truth of the matter”.

"They must know that the best way to get to the truth would be to allow material and critical witnesses like myself and Tun Dr Mahathir, who was prime minister at the time, to testify,” he said.

He reminded the commission of the duty and purpose in its establishment was "not to draw premature conclusions or cast aspersions upon anyone, but to establish the truth”.