Santi denies budget panel sought bribes

Santi denies budget panel sought bribes

No loopholes available to engage in graft, he says

The House sub-committees have no power to revise the national budget after it has passed the first hearing, which means there are no loopholes for them to engage in corruption, according to Deputy Finance Minister Santi Promphat.

Mr Santi was referring to allegations that some MPs belonging to one of the sub-panels scrutinising the 2021 expenditure budget had demanded five million baht from the Groundwater Resources Department in exchange for not trimming the fund earmarked for building artesian wells to be undertaken by the agency.

The allegation was reportedly made by the department director-general, Sakda Wichiensilp, while he was defending his agency's budget allocation at the sub-committee chaired by a Democrat Party MP.

Yesterday, Mr Santi insisted it was a misconception that the House sub-committees were authorised to adjust the budget portions stipulated in the budget bill which was approved by the House of Representatives in principle in the first reading.

He said the sub-panels wield no power to make budgetary changes. They are tasked with checking whether proposed budget allocations suited the policies or programmes they were destined for.

Mr Santi, who chairs the main House committee scrutinising the budget expenditure bill, said representatives of a relevant sub-panel testified to his committee yesterday over the alleged five-million-baht extortion.

The statements will be compiled in a report to be submitted to House Speaker Chuan Leekpai later.

Mr Santi maintained that after the sub-panels have finished vetting the proposed budget portions, they will refer the issue to the main committee in a checks-and-balances system. He said the statements given by the sub-panel have not been concluded and that the facts behind the issue will have to be established.

"It's not yet clear at this point in time what actually happened [with regards to the alleged extortion]. It's not right and proper to comment on it," he said.

He said there are other agencies that have the duty to probe any abuse of House committee positions by lawmakers, including the National Anti-Corruption Commission, the Public Sector Anti-Corruption Commission and the State Audit Office.

Mr Chuan said yesterday he supported a fact-finding probe to see if the alleged extortion had substance.

If the allegation had grounds, it would be an offence committed by individual MPs, Mr Chuan said.

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