By Akil Yunus

KUALA LUMPUR - Bank Negara Malaysia must take stern action against those who breached the Banking and Financial Institutions Act 1989 (Bafia).

Independent Bayan Baru member of parliament Datuk Zahrain Hashim yesterday questioned why Bank Negara governor Tan Sri Dr Zeti Akhtar Aziz was keeping silent on the actions of Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) strategic director Rafizi Ramli.

Rafizi had been accused of violating Bafia provisions after distributing confidential banking documents related to the National Feedlot Corporation (NFCorp) scandal without consent in May.

"Bank Negara should take immediate action by informing the attorney-general's shambers.

"She (Zeti) should not be afraid to take action. If she is, then she should not be occupying that post."

He added that if no action was taken, the perception against the country's banking institution would be affected.

"Foreign investors will no longer place their trust in our country and the credibility of the banking institution will be at stake."

Zahrain also said this was not a political issue, but "a matter of right and wrong".

"Certain parties chose to politicise the National Feedlot Centre (NFC) scandal, which is fine (by me), but Rafizi's actions are a clear breach of the law.

"You cannot get away with crime just because of politics."

He also said that while the NFCorp management might have committed an offence, Rafizi's methods of revealing the "truth" about NFC were wrong, too.

"Two wrongs don't make a right."

Rafizi held a press conference in May where he distributed to the media a letter from Bank Negara, dated May 7, to an employee of Public Bank Bhd, Johari Mohamad, concerning the disclosure of private bank documents of parties related to the company.

He had also distributed to the media a letter from Public Bank, addressed to the same employee, on April 24.

NFCorp executive chairman Datuk Seri Dr Mohamad Salleh Ismail subsequently accused Rafizi of "colluding" with certain employees of the bank to obtain the confidential information.

A Bank Negara spokesman said the matter was still under investigation and added that they hoped to complete it as soon as possible.