PETALING JAYA: Former DAP politician Satees Muniandy says he is ready to cooperate with the authorities after the police report filed against him by deputy unity minister K Saraswathy over claims that she had not paid her taxes.
“I will give my full cooperation to assist the authorities in their investigation,” he said in a statement.
PKR’s Saraswathy yesterday claimed that the former Bagan Dalam assemblyman had made the allegation in a video which has been circulating on social media.
However, Satees denied “starting or circulating fake news implying the deputy minister has committed a tax offence”. Instead, he said he was merely acting on reports published by two news portals, one of which expressly named Saraswathy.
Relying on those reports, Satees said that “Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim is the right person to answer questions regarding the appointment of Saraswathy as deputy minister”.
Malaysians have the right to know if a person blacklisted by the Inland Revenue Board (LHDN) could be appointed as a senator and deputy minister, he added.
Satees, who is Urimai secretary, also alluded to Anwar’s reminder to LHDN in March to take stern action against all tax evaders regardless of their social status.
Satees also said that, based on his checks, immigration restrictions on the deputy minister were in place until last Sunday.
“However, checks today found that these restrictions have been lifted,” he added.
Saraswathy filed the report yesterday after a poster circulating on WhatsApp claimed that she owed nearly RM190,000 in unpaid income tax. A news portal subsequently published the allegation without verifying it with her.
She said the “fake news” was circulated to tarnish her reputation as a politician and a deputy minister in the unity government.
“(There are) parties conspiring to spread fake news about me for their own self interest or political gain,” she said.
Putrajaya police chief A Asmadi Abdul Aziz said police had recorded Saraswathy’s statement following her report.
He said police would apply for an order to investigate from the deputy public prosecutor before opening an investigation paper under Section 500 of the Penal Code for defamation and Section 233 of the Communications and Multimedia Act 1998 for the improper use of network facilities. - FMT
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