MOF officer: No letters show Guan Eng revoked Albukhary tax status

 

A Finance Ministry officer has testified that there were no letters showing its previous minister Lim Guan Eng had revoked Albukhary Foundation’s tax exemption status.

Hazlan Abdul Aziz told the Kuala Lumpur High Court today that he never found such documentation in relation to Lim's (above) tenure helming the ministry between May 2018 and February 2020.

He was testifying in Lim's defamation suit against former premier Muhyiddin Yassin who accused the then finance minister of cancelling the tax exemption status of the foundation.

Granted between 2016 and 2018, the tax exemption affected 27 companies under the foundation that tycoon Syed Mokhtar Albukhary set up for charitable activities.

Hazlan was replying to cross-examination by Lim's counsel Guok Ngek Seong during open-court proceedings presided over by judicial commissioner Roz Mawar Rozain.

Guok: You agree that based on the files at the Finance Ministry, you did not see nor find any letter cancelling Albukhary Foundation's tax exemption status that was issued by then finance minister Lim Guan Eng between 2018 and March 2020?

Hazlan: None

The witness, who Muhyiddin subpoenaed, added that he also never found letters from Lim that did not acknowledge the foundation's tax exemption status.

At the end of proceedings, Roz set Sept 12 for oral submissions.

Accusations leading to suit

On March 27 last year, Lim filed a writ of summons against Muhyiddin over alleged defamation.

A month later, through his statement of defence, Muhyiddin contended that Lim has to prove in court that the Finance Ministry did not revoke the tax exemption status.

Ex-PM Muhyiddin Yassin

The Pagoh MP also claimed that Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s statement in Parliament - that there were no records of Lim revoking the foundation’s tax exemption status - was “wholly irrelevant” and a mere deflection so that Lim would not be held accountable for the Inland Revenue Board decision on the issue.

In his reply to Muhyiddin’s defence, Lim questioned why Muhyiddin did not raise the alleged tax exemption cancellation when they were both part of then premier Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s cabinet.

Muhyiddin was the home minister during the Pakatan Harapan administration from 2018 to 2020. He then headed the Perikatan Nasional government until August 2021.

Bagan MP Lim is seeking unspecified damages from Muhyiddin.

Lawyer Chetan Jethwani is acting for Muhyiddin. - Mkini