IPOH, Aug 10 — The Human Resources Ministry has not received any report so far on the Malaysian National News Agency (Bernama) allegedly failing to make Employees Provident Fund contributions and remitting loan repayments of staff although deductions were made.

Minister M. Kulasegaran said his office would take action if it received a report on these matters from any party.

"If there is a complaint made to us, we will take action... since Bernama is a government agency, the issue will be settled by the government.

"It is best to refer this matter to the Finance Ministry and the Communications and Multimedia Ministry,” he told reporters today after distributing about 1,000 pieces of the national flag to the public at the Kampung Tawas market here, in conjunction with National Day celebrations.

According to a news portal report yesterday, Bernama allegedly faced financial constraints which affected the contributions to the EPF and the repayment of loans of the staff despite the salary deductions having been made.

In Kuala Lumpur, Finance Minister Lim Guan Eng in a statement today said that he had instructed the ministry to investigate a claim that Bernama had used contributions meant for the Employees Provident Fund (EPF) to pay the July salary of its staff.

Lim said the Finance Ministry took a serious view of the claim, given that the facts pertaining to the issue are to the contrary.

In an immediate response, Bernama issued a statement saying that it had taken note of the statement and would extend full cooperation to the Finance Ministry to undertake the probe. — Bernama