Najib claims political interference in tax suit, lodges police report against IRB

 

Former prime minister Najib Abdul Razak has filed a police report against the Inland Revenue Board (IRB), claiming that a tax suit launched against him was politically motivated.

In a Facebook post last night, Najib claimed to have received credible information that IRB officers and politicians had abused their authority and used false documents to persecute him.

"There were some who met me and apologised, as well as informed me that the RM1.7 billion (sic) additional tax case had been investigated three times since 2018.

"In fact, they admitted that after three thorough probes, they did not find any wrongdoing by me, and no tax penalties should be levied against me.

"However, after the three probes were completed and the outcome clearly showed I did no wrongdoing under the law, a senior IRB officer ordered for tax penalties to be levied against me because it was ordered by certain politicians," Najib claimed.

He added that this was worrying as the politicians' orders were not based on fact and were a clear abuse of power.

He lodged the police report yesterday afternoon and hoped for a thorough probe.

He invited tax auditors to go over his tax filings which had been submitted to the court and will also write to the IRB to make the tax files public.

The government filed the suit against Najib in June 2019.

It sought over RM1.69 billion from the former premier, with an annual five percent interest rate beginning from the date of judgment, as well as costs and other relief deemed fit by the court.

Najib reportedly did not declare about RM4 billion during the period, including the RM2.6 billion which US investigators claim originated from 1MDB.

Najib argued last night that he was taxed for income despite returning most of the RM2.6 billion four months after receiving it.

Najib had claimed that the amount was a donation from the Saudi government.

This has been debunked by US investigators. The "donation" was instead part of the Tanore phase of the 1MDB money laundering case.

The funds - US$681 million - had been siphoned by Najib's alleged associate Low Taek Jho, or Jho Low, from 1MDB, and then channelled to the former prime minister.

Najib then returned US$620 million to accounts controlled by Low. Part of the returned funds was allegedly used by Low to purchase a pink diamond necklace worth US$27.3 million for Najib's wife Rosmah Mansor.

Najib is currently appealing to reassess the RM1.69 billion tax suit, after the High Court in Kuala Lumpur last year made a summary judgment ordering him to pay the amount. - Mkini