Defence Minister Hishammuddin Hussein today said Lembaga Tabung Angkatan Tentera’s (LTAT) 12 percent dividend has refuted previous claims made by PKR secretary-general Rafizi Ramli over the gratuity payment for its contributors.

“For 2015, LTAT recorded an (unaudited) total profit of RM766.8 million and today I want to announce the disbursement of the dividends and bonuses at 12 percent to LTAT contributors.

“This means that unfounded allegations over LTAT’s position previously were nothing but wild allegations which we have managed to answer today with the announcement of the dividends,” said Hishammuddin at a press conference in Kuala Lumpur.

The 12 percent dividend and bonus would comprise of percent dividend and six percent special bonus in the form of unit trusts for active members.

For the past 43 years, the average yearly dividend and bonus paid out stood at 11.3 percent per annum.

As of Dec 31, 2015, LTAT’s total assets increased by 1.1 percent to RM9.4 billion from RM9.3 billion in the previous year. Members’ contribution also increased from RM8.9 billion to RM9.1 billion.

Rafizi, in March, had exposed a portion of the auditor-general’s report on 1MDB which is classified under the Official Secrets Act (OSA) to prove 1MDB’s links with LTAT.

He had previously claimed army pensioners had not received their LTAT members’ contribution since 2014, citing complaints from some army veterans.

LTAT then sued Rafizi for defamation following his exposé and the Pandan MP had mulled that he is also suing LTAT for claiming that he had malicious intent and that his exposé was untrue.

Apart from the lawsuit, the PKR vice-president is also facing a charge under the OSA for revealing the portion of the auditor-general’s report.