Financial watchdog Global Finance Institute (GFI) has agreed to present its study on capital flight from Malaysia at a seminar organised by the Selangor government, said PKR director of strategy Rafizi Ramli.

Rafizi said the seminar would be tentatively held on Jan 17, while Selangor economic adviser Anwar Ibrahim added that he would write to Bank Negara later today to formally invite them to attend.

azlan GFI had previously reported that about RM196.8 billion was siphoned out of Malaysia in 2010, placing the country second to China in global rankings in illicit capital flight.

“We want GFI to be present to explain the details and mechanism on how they  came about these figures and then we would cordially invite Bank Negara and all the relevant parties,” Anwar said at a press conference today.

He had also previously said that he wanted to invite Bank Negara governor Zeti Akhtar to explain the issue.

Rafizi said it was difficult to get GFI to come to Malaysia, and that he hopes to get as many people to attend the seminar as possible, especially economists.

“Whatever people say, the concept of ‘illicit funds’ is really new. It is not your traditional economic concept.

“Most people don’t understand it. I would bet you that most people in Bank Negara do not understand it. It is a good opportunity for them to look at it,” he added.

On a separate matter, PKR secretary-general Saifuddin Nasution Ismail said the party has not received any feedback from the Registrar of Societies (ROS) on the status of Pakatan Rakyat’s registration as a political coalition.

He said that Pakatan Rakyat had initially applied under a pro-tem committee led by former de facto law minister, Zaid Ibrahim.

When he left PKR in 2010, the ROS contacted Pakatan Rakyat once to inform them that they needed a new pro-tem committee.

The coalition reapplied with Tumpat MP Kamaruddin Jaafar as the new pro-tem chairperson in the same year, and has not heard from them since despite follow-ups several times a month.

“I think the onus is on ROS to come back to us, what are the requirements or the prerequisites that we need to fulfil in order for them to give approval.

“I don’t think their job is just to receive the application and remain quiet. It is not fair at all,” he added.