KUALA LUMPUR – Former Felda chairman Tan Sri Shahrir Ab Samad is not proceeding with plans to send a representation to the Attorney-General's Chambers over the charge made against him for failing to declare the RM1 million which he received from Datuk Seri Najib Razak to the Inland Revenue Board (IRB).
This was informed by his lawyer, Syahrul Syazwan Salehin, today.
"Tan Sri Shahrir has decided to not send the representation because he wants to clear his name through the court process,” he said.
Last May 21, Syahrul Syazwan informed reporters that Shahrir would send a representation to the AG and that he would study the documents and discuss with his client on the matter.
Meanwhile, Syahrul Syazwan said the defence had filed an application to transfer the case to the High Court, which had fixed October 30 to hear the matter which would be before judge Mohd Nazlan Mohd Ghazali.
"We filed the application last August 17 and was set for hearing before judge Mohd Nazlan last October 8, but was postponed because the lead counsel was in quarantine due to Covid-19,” he added.
Deputy public prosecutor Mohd Afif Ali, from the Malaysian Anti Corruption Commission (MACC), when contacted, said the prosecution would object against the transfer of the case to the High Court.
Before this, Sessions Court judge Azura Alwi had set October 12 to 15 to hear the case, but it had been postponed as the lead counsel was in quarantine.
The new hearing dates have been fixed from November 9 to 12 and December 3.
Shahrir, 71, was charged with 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 through an AmIslamic Bank Berhad cheque dated November 27, 2013.
The cheque was then deposited into his (Shahrir) Public Islamic Bank account on November 28, 2013.
Shahrir was charged with committing the offence at IRB, Duta branch, Government Office Complex, Jalan Tuanku Abdul Halim here on April 25, 2014.
The charge was framed under Section 4(1)(a) of the Anti-Money Laundering, Anti-Terrorism Financing and Proceeds of Unlawful Activities Act 2001, which provides a maximum fine of RM5 million, or imprisonment for up to five years, or both, if found guilty. – Bernama, October 15, 2020
