PARLIAMENT Second Finance Minister Johari Abdul Ghani has demanded proof that government expenses had been lost through leakages.

"I want to check with the auditor-general, I want him to show me the figures that 20 percent of government expenses were lost due to leakages," Johari said in Parliament today.

He said this in an exchange with Ngeh Khoo Ham (DAP-Beruas) who asked how much the government had lost to leakages.

Ngeh cited remarks by former auditor-general Ambrin Buang that between 10 to 30 percent of government funds were lost due to leakages and mismanagements, and that government contracts were much higher than the market price.

Prior to his retirement, Ambrin had in a written speech in January, told a forum on procurement fraud that between 10 to 30 percent of government investments in publicly funded construction projects may be lost through mismanagement.

He added that about 20 to 30 percent of the project value was lost through corruption.

Johari had earlier said he wanted to engage whoever released these figures to see the source of their information.

Dewan Rakyat speaker Pandikar Amin Mulia stopped the exchange between Johari and Ngeh from continuing further so as not to stall House proceedings.