FOREX RCI | Former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad never entered Bank Negara's foreign exchange dealing room, said a former forex dealer with the central bank.

Testifying before the Royal Commission of Inquiry (RCI) into the forex losses incurred by the central bank in the late 1980s and early 1990s today, Azman Mat Ali, who was a forex dealer between 1988 to 1998, said dealers had mostly kept to themselves and did not socialise.

He was asked by RCI member Saw Choo Boon on whether he had received any visits from VIPs or the prime minister during his time as a forex dealer.

"I don't recall any visits," said Azman.

He was later questioned by Mahathir's lawyer Mohamed Haniff Khatri Abdulla on whether Mahathir had ever entered the trading room.

"(He) never did, absolutely," Azman said.

Meanwhile, former auditor-general Hadenan A Jalil, the second witness for today and the 19th for the RCI, said he could not remember whether he had ever discussed with either the then governor or the then finance minister on the forex losses suffered by Bank Negara between 1990 to 1994.

Hadenan added that he had never, during his time as secretary in Treasury's finance department, discussed with the then prime minister on the forex losses suffered by the central bank.

The forex losses had occurred during Mahathir's tenure as prime minister and when Anwar helmed the finance portfolio.

Mahathir and the opposition have claimed that Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak's administration is attempting to exact political revenge against the former premier and deflect attention from the 1MDB scandal by dredging up old issues.

Both Mahathir and the opposition have repeatedly called for an RCI on 1MDB.

Meanwhile, former Bank Negara governor Ahmad Mohd Don confirmed that a management committee in relation to Bank Negara's policies and external reserve operations was set up after his appointment as governor.

He, however, said he could not remember whether there was a written policy regarding forex trading before he took over the post of governor in May 1994.

He also testified that he does not remember if Bank Negara had set up a committee to monitor forex dealings before.