YOU HAVE COMMITTED A CRIME, YOU FOOL! – GUAN ENG FIRES BACK AT BERSATU’S ‘IGNORANT’ WAN FAYHSAL – INDEED, WHAT TYPE OF LEADER IS MUHYIDDIN TO SEND HIS MEN INTO BATTLE TO ‘DIE’ FOR HIM – ‘I HAVE INITIATED & CRIMINAL & CIVIL ACTION AGAINST MUHYIDDIN FOR LIES THAT CAN UNDERMINE RACIAL GOODWILL’ – ‘WAN FAYHSAL SHOULD THINK CAREFULLY BEFORE HE SWIMS IN THE SAME TREACHEROUS WATERS AS HIS PN CHAIRPERSON’

Bagan MP Lim Guan Eng has accused Wan Ahmad Fayhsal Wan Ahmad Kamal of committing a criminal offence when the Bersatu Youth chief lodged a “false police report” against Premier Anwar Ibrahim and himself.

The former finance minister said this was over Perikatan Nasional chairperson Muhyiddin Yassin’s “false allegations that I had revoked the tax-exempt status of the Albukhary Foundation”.

Lim pointed out that lodging a false report is a criminal offence under Section 182 of the Penal Code.

“Anwar spoke the truth when he said that records with the Finance Ministry show that as finance minister from May 2018 to February 2020, I had never revoked the tax-exempt status of Albukhary Foundation.

“This is supported by Muhyiddin’s failure to show proof or produce such a revocation letter from me when I was finance minister,” Lim said in a statement today.

He added that Anwar was also correct to state that the revocation of the tax-exempt status lies with the Inland Revenue Board (IRB) director-general and not the prime minister or the finance minister.

Yesterday several Bersatu Youth leaders led by Wan Fayhsal filed a police report against the DAP chairperson and Anwar for allegedly misleading the Dewan Rakyat.

Wan Fayhsal claimed that Anwar’s explanation that a finance minister could not interfere with the IRB director-general’s decisions, as per sub-section 44(6) of the Income Tax Act 1967, was misleading.

The Machang MP further claimed that Anwar, who is also the finance minister, failed to mention that sub-section 44(6B) allowed Lim, as the finance minister at the time, to appeal any of the IRB director-general’s decisions.

‘Wan Fayhsal is ignorant’

Lim said that Wan Fayhsal showed ignorance and lack of knowledge about economic, financial or taxation matters because sub-section 44(6B) refers to appeals to the minister and not the minister initiating revocation of tax-exempt status.

“I had not seen the Albukhary Foundation file when I was finance minister and was in no position to decide on any appeal since the Albukhary Foundation made no appeal to me.

“Clearly there was no revocation of Albukhary Foundation’s tax-exempt status when I was finance minister,” he claimed.

Lim said this raises the question of whether there was a revocation at all of Albukhary Foundation’s tax-exempt status as Muhyiddin claimed.

“If there was such a revocation, then it can only be done during Muhyiddin’s tenure as prime minister,” he further alleged.

The DAP chairperson said Wan Fayhsal should persuade Muhyiddin to show any letters of revocation to the Albukhary Foundation.

“If Muhyiddin fails to do so, then both Muhyiddin and Wan Fayhsal are making an empty claim that is baseless and false.

“I have initiated a criminal and civil action against Muhyiddin for his lies that can undermine racial goodwill and jeopardise religious harmony.

“Wan Fayhsal should think carefully before he swims in the same treacherous waters as his PN chairperson,” added Lim.

MKINI

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