Shahrir needs to report the RM1 million received to IRB - IRB officer

KUALA LUMPUR: The High Court here was today told that Tan Sri Shahrir Ab Samad should have reported the RM1 million he received in 2013 to the Inland Revenue Board (IRB).

Deputy Head of the Celebrity, Public and Various Entertainers Desk Audit Unit, IRB Assessment Division, Tuan Zulkfli Tuan Lah, 48, said Shahrir should report the money he received to the IRB to determine whether the money was taxable income or otherwise.

"It is the responsibility of taxpayers to report their income and for certain categories, commission and rental money are also income.

"If the amount received is large enough, reaching up to RM1 million, it needs to be reported to the IRB to determine whether it is eligible to be taxed or not. The amount of tax charged depends on the amount of income," he added.

He said when re-examined by deputy public prosecutor Rasyidah Murni Azmi at the hearing of Shahrir's case for failing to declare RM1 million he received from Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak through a AmIslamic Bank Berhad cheque, dated Nov 27, 2013, to IRB

Tuan Zulkfli, who is the 21st prosecution witness, said that Shahrir, who is former Johor Bahru Member of Parliament, for Johor Bahru, was a good taxpayer and had never failed to submit his tax assessment forms since 2004.

Last Oct 5, Tuan Zulkfli told the court that Shahrir never declared income exceeding RM1 million for the assessment years 2013 to 2018 to the IRB.

He said the income declared by Shahrir in 2013 was RM87,834, 2014 (RM128,104), 2015 (RM213,394), 2016 (RM189,545), 2017 (RM267,090) and 2018 (RM193,191).

To a question by deputy public prosecutor Mohd 'Afif Ali, Tuan Zulkfli said the charge of failing to declare income to the IRM is a serious and embarrassing offence that can tarnish a person's image, regardless if the person is a Member of Parliament or an ordinary individual," he added.

Shahrir, 72, is facing a charge of money laundering by not stating his real income in the Income Tax Return Form for Assessment Year 2013, which is a violation of Section 113(1)(a) of the Income Tax Act 1967, on the RM1 million, believed to be from unlawful activities, which he received from Najib.

He was charged with committing the offence at IRB, Duta Branch, Government Office Complex, Jalan Tuanku Abdul Halim here on April 25, 2014.

The charge, under Section 4(1) of the Anti-Money Laundering and Anti-Terrorism Financing Act 2001, provides imprisonment for up to five years imprisonment or a fine of RM5 million or both, if convicted.

The hearing before judge Datuk Muhammad Jamil Hussin continues tomorrow.

-- BERNAMA