The BN publicity and information bureau has lodged a police report over the alleged 20 master accounts worth RM3 billion held by opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim, as claimed by former Bank Negara assistant governor Abdul Murad Khalid.

Its chairman, Ahmad Maslan said various quarters had urged the police to delve into the matter.

"The question whether Anwar is guilty or not is a different matter, and various quarters, including NGOs, who had lodged police reports and held demonstrations, are demanding immediate action.

"So we urged the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission and the police to conduct investigations into the case," Ahmad, who is also Umno information chief, told reporters after chairing the bureau's meeting in Kuala Lumpur today.

Abdul Murad had made a statutory declaration in 1999 claiming, among others, that Anwar controlled about RM3 billion in 20 separate accounts while he was the finance minister.

However, Abdul Murad retracted his declaration later, claiming that the then Anti-Corruption Agency coerced him into signing it.

- Bernama