PUTRAJAYA, Sept 7 ― Former Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad never issued "any instructions” regarding Bank Negara Malaysia's forex trade after learning of the potential losses, Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said today.

Testifying before the Royal Commission of Inquiry (RCI) into the forex losses today, the former deputy prime minister said that Dr Mahathir did not instruct whether to stop or proceed with the forex trading.

Anwar confirmed that Dr Mahathir was briefed of the trading activity and potential losses by a Finance Ministry official on Anwar's instruction.

Former Finance Ministry Secretary General Tan Sri Clifford Francis Herbert previously claimed that he briefed Dr Mahathir on the losses, and Anwar confirmed the matter.

"I instructed Clifford to prepare a report and brief Dr Mahathir about it," Anwar said.

"Dr Mahathir did not give any instruction whether to proceed with forex or not," he added.

Clifford, who testified at the RCI last week, said that Dr Mahathir was "indifferent" when briefed about forex losses, which the former claims could amount to RM30 billion.