PUTRAJAYA: Bank Negara has the authority to decide on matters such as the Overnight Policy Rate (OPR) without the government’s intervention, says Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.
“Any changes to the OPR is a decision by Bank Negara and not the Finance Minister.
“I can discuss it if needed, but that is the prerogative of Bank Negara,” he told reporters after chairing the weekly Cabinet meeting here yesterday.
He was responding to a question on what Finance Ministry could do over the possibility of the central bank raising the OPR this year and its impact on the economy.
On a separate matter, Anwar said that the government would pump in RM152.6mil to take over the stalled offshore patrol vessel (OPV) project by a former Lembaga Tabung Haji (LTH) subsidiary.
“We have decided that the Finance Ministry should take over the OPV project previously under a former subsidiary of LTH.
“An additional allocation of RM152.6mil will be injected into the project, which will be completed by this year,” he added.
Anwar said it was crucial to rescue the project as it concerned the nation’s maritime security and defence.
The OPV project was handled by THHE Destini Sdn Bhd, a former subsidiary of LTH.
Anwar also said that there were no plans to cut the pension of former Cabinet members.
