FORMER Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak questioned the Inland Revenue Board’s (LHDN) decision to slap him with a bankruptcy notice for failing to settle RM1.69 bil in additional tax arrears for 2011 to 2017.
“My assets have been seized for three years, without any proof. Two of my lawyers were also charged under the Anti-Money Laundering Act (AMLA) for allegedly receiving payments from me, which is said to be of illegal source. So, they have to defend themselves and me in the courts.
“Now, the Government wants to bankrupt me using a law under LHDN, which disallows legal challenges. I was not given a chance to challenge the Special Commissioner’s directive.
“So, how am I to pay for my lawyers now?” he asked, in a Facebook post.
On April 6, LHDN slapped Najib with a bankruptcy notice. According to Free Malaysia Today, the tax department said that the Pekan MP needed to pay the tax arrears, along with interest of 5% for each year, amounting to RM45.9 mil from the date of the summary judgment, and cost.
On July 22 last year, the High Court allowed the Government to proceed with a summary judgment to recover the additional tax arrears from Najib.
In his defence, Najib said that he is currently facing legal proceedings over the alleged illegal funding, adding the LHDN seems to be confused of its own direction.
“If I was receiving income from a foreign country, the LHDN had exempted it from tax since 2004. If I had committed theft, is money from looting a taxable income?
“And since when money returned to sender after four months is considered an income, with a penalty imposed on top that?” he queried. – April 10, 2021
