KUALA LUMPUR, March 9 — Perikatan Nasional (PN) chairman Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin said today he would not retract his allegations against former finance minister Lim Guan Eng that the latter revoked Yayasan Albukhary’s tax exemption status.

Muhyiddin instead told Lim to explain himself, saying Yayasan Albukhary’s request was given approval during Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s time, but when Pakatan Harapan (PH) took office, Lim was finance minister and the Inland Revenue Board (LHDN) was under his ministry.

"I was informed that Albukhary had their request rejected. Obviously, the cancellation must’ve gone through the minister, Lim Guan Eng, did he do anything about it? Maybe so,” said Muhyiddin when met by reporters after Bersatu’s annual general meeting here.

"If he said I did not do anything then the approval must’ve been detained and no necessity for Tan Sri Syed Mokhtar to come and see me or ask the minister of finance to consider [it]. So this is just a political gimmick by Guan Eng hence I challenge him to explain what happened.”

Muhyiddin also alleged that Yayasan Albukhary is among the biggest Malay foundations that have contributed to many in the community, and slammed Lim for purportedly failing to recognise the foundation’s contributions.

"That’s not good,” he commented.

Muhyiddin, during a press conference outside the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) headquarters in Putrajaya on March 9, alleged that Lim had revoked the tax exemption which was approved for Yayasan Albukhary when Lim was finance minister after the 14th general election.

Later at night he also reiterated the same story at a PAS centre in Taman Melewar.

Lim said that when he was finance minister, he had never issued any specific orders to revoke the tax exemption approved by the previous Barisan Nasional government for Yayasan Albukhary.

He called the accusations baseless and accused Muhyiddin of having ill intentions by playing up on the sentiments of the people to shift their attention from his money laundering and abuse of power charges against him involving RM232.5 million.

Lim has asked Muhyiddin to show a letter of him issuing instructions as finance minister as such a letter did not exist.

When Muhyiddin didn’t comply, Lim then said he would take him to court if he did not retract his allegations by Wednesday.