KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 8 — The Finance Ministry will launch an internal investigation into the RM18 billion of Goods and Services (GST) refunds missing from the trust account.

Ministry Lim Guan Eng said the investigation is seeking to establish the circle of decision makers from the previous administration who were responsible for the missing sum.

“For us internally, I think we want to have something definite because we want to look at the circle of the decision makers.

“Definitely the KSP is in the know,” he told reporters, referring to the Malay acronyms for Treasurer secretary-general.

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“I would assume the previous KSP would know about it,” he added later.

Lim was referring to Tan Sri Dr Mohd Irwan Serigar Abdullah, who was transferred out of the Finance Ministry to the Public Service Department until June 13.

He added that he hoped the probe will also uncover several other key figures, who have yet to be identified.

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When asked if the missing money could be linked to former Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak, Lim said he would not comment further until the probe is concluded.

“Let this be decided later...because Najib is now facing charges so I don’t want to say anything. It would be inappropriate,” he said.

While tabling the GST (Repeal) Bill 2018 for the second reading in the Dewan Rakyat today, Lim said the total outstanding amount of GST refunds since its introduction in 2015 is RM19.4 billion.

He, however, said that the amount left in the trust account is only RM1.486 billion, which leaves a shortfall of RM18 billion.

Lim claimed the money had gone into a consolidated fund and that it was “used” by the Barisan Nasional administration.