FORMER premier Datuk Seri Najib Razak has yet to settle nearly RM1.7 bil in unpaid taxes, according to the Finance Ministry (MOF). The ministry stated that the issue remains unresolved, with the Inland Revenue Board (IRB) continuing to take appropriate action.
MOF provided this update in a written reply to Jelutong MP RSN Rayer in Parliament, indicating that legal proceedings are ongoing. The next hearing is scheduled for July 29, 2024, at the Insolvency High Court in Kuala Lumpur.
Rayer had queried the Finance Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim about the status of Najib’s tax arrears. On Oct 16, 2023, the Federal Court upheld a ruling that Najib must pay RM1.69 bil in unpaid taxes, rejecting his appeal against the High Court’s decision.
The government’s lawsuit initiated by the IRB on June 25, 2019, seeks to recover the unpaid taxes with interest at a rate of 5% per year from the date of judgment, along with costs and other relief deemed appropriate by the court.
In July 2020, the High Court granted the IRB’s application for a summary judgment against Najib, ordering him to pay the RM1.69 bil owed for the period between 2011 and 2017. – July 19, 2024
Main photo credit: Bloomberg
