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KUALA LUMPUR – Former prime minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin has until next Wednesday to retract his comments linking DAP chairman Lim Guan Eng to Albukhary Foundation’s tax exemption cancellation.
Seeing Muhyiddin is “busy with his MACC charges, including one this Monday”, Lim said the Perikatan Nasional chairman has until March 15 to apologise and retract his statements on the matter.
Lim reiterated that he had never issued specific instructions during his time as finance minister to cancel the foundation’s tax exemption that was approved by the previous Barisan Nasional government.
“This is baseless slander as Muhyiddin has malicious intent to play on sentiment to divert the people’s attention from the four charges of abuse of power and two charges of money laundering he is facing,” he said in a statement today.
“I’ve challenged Muhyiddin to show the letter containing my instructions on the tax-exempt cancellation. But I’m confident he would not be able to produce the letter as it does not exist.
“Muhyiddin did not reiterate his claims during his press conference yesterday that was held outside the KL court. This is an indication that he is aware of his slander against me.”
On Thursday afternoon, Muhyiddin was arrested at the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) headquarters in Putrajaya after giving his statement for investigations related to the Jana Wibawa project and other matters.
The Perikatan Nasional chairman and Bersatu president was later released on bail at about 8.20pm.
Speaking to reporters later, Muhyiddin said during Lim’s tenure as finance minister under the Pakatan Harapan (PH) administration in 2018, the Bagan MP had cancelled the Albukhary Foundation’s application for a tax exemption, which was made during BN’s time in federal power.
Muhyiddin also said when he became prime minister after the fall of the PH government, Tan Sri Syed Mokhtar Albukhary had appealed to him to lift the cancellation.
At the sessions court here yesterday, Muhyiddin claimed trial to four charges of power abuse amounting to RM232.5 million and two money-laundering charges involving RM195 million.
Muhyiddin is the third Bersatu leader to be hauled up over the Jana Wibawa initiative, which he introduced while he was prime minister to help Bumiputera contractors.
Tasek Gelugor MP and former Bersatu information chief Datuk Wan Saiful Wan Jan was charged with soliciting and receiving bribes worth RM6.9 million to help a private firm secure a central spine road government contract worth RM232 million in 2022.
He and Segambut Bersatu deputy chief Adam Radlan Adam Muhammad were the first two Bersatu leaders charged with corruption involving Jana Wibawa. – The Vibes, March 11, 2023