Questions on whether the government will reopen inquiries into the Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM) foreign exchange (forex) losses in 1990s and the Perwaja Steel scandal do not arise, said de facto law minister Liew Vui Keong said.

According to him, the government has taken action in these two matters.

"The Royal Commission of Inquiry (RCI) into BNM's forex deals had been conducted and the report was released and distributed in the Dewan Rakyat on Nov 30, 2017," Liew said in a written parliamentary reply to Lenggong MP Shamsul Anuar.

"Based on the results of the report, the RCI lodged a police report and an investigation paper was opened and it is still at the investigation stage," he said.

"As for the Perwaja Steel scandal, an investigation paper was opened against (former managing director) Eric Chia. He was charged under Section 409 of the Penal Code.

"However, he was acquitted and released from the charge by the Sessions Court on June 26, 2007. The prosecution had filed an appeal notice but he died on June 24, 2008, before the appeal could be heard in court.

"As such, the questions about preparations of the government in reopening the investigations into these two cases do not arise," he added.

The RCI into BNM's forex losses concluded that Bank Negara made a loss of RM31.5 billion between 1992 and 1994 by speculating on the forex market.

Although the RCI primarily blamed former Bank Negara assistant governor Nor Mohamed Yakcop, the commission also implicated then prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad, along with former finance ministers Anwar Ibrahim and Daim Zainuddin, for misleading the cabinet.

Police investigations for fraud, criminal breach of trust and cheating are currently underway.

Perwaja Steel, which was set up in 1982 was the brainchild of Mahathir when he first helmed the country.

This was a joint venture between Terengganu state government, Japan-based Nippon Steel Corp and Perwaja Terengganu Sdn Bhd. Government-owned Hicom Holdings was the original owner of Perwaja Steel with a 51 percent stake.

The government brought in Chia after Perwaja lost money and later restructured Perwaja Steel after its partner Nippon Steel gave up its 30 percent stakes.

There were allegations of misappropriation of fund, dubious contracts and dishonest accounting involving Perwaja in the 1990s.

Chia, who sat in Perwaja board for seven years until 1995, was charged with criminal breach of trust in 2004.