Muhyiddin has until today to apologise and retract Yayasan Albukhary tax exemption claim, says Guan Eng

KUALA LUMPUR, March 21 — Bagan MP Lim Guan Eng reminded former prime minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin that the latter has until today to offer a public apology for accusing the former of saying that Yayasan Albukhary is not exempt from tax before being taken to court for defamation.

Lim said Muhyiddin has to retract his statement and apologise, otherwise legal action will be taken.

“Not just civil action as I have taken before this. So I hope, as a parliamentarian, he knows what is happening, even though he is not present in Parliament today,” the DAP chairman told a news conference here.

“I hope he is following Parliament happenings live and he will do what is right, with dignity, retract and apologise so that this matter will be resolved.

“Otherwise I will have to take the next action, and I will give him time until today,” Lim said.

Muhyiddin has been told to retract and apologise for accusing Lim of revoking the tax exemption for Yayasan Albukhary as then finance minister in the first Pakatan Harapan administration.

The Pagoh MP repeated the same remarks at a PAS centre in Taman Melewar, Gombak, in Selangor that same night.

Despite Lim’s repeated warnings, Muhyiddin has said he would not retract his allegation.

“I have never cancelled the tax exemption letter which has been enjoyed by Yayasan Albukhary and the prime minister has also said that the power to cancel tax exemption falls under the hands of the Inland Revenue Board director-general and not the prime minister or finance minister.

“And it’s very clear here, as how I have explained multiple times, that I never saw this file and never gave any orders for the revocation of the tax exemption on Yayasan Albukhary, as accused by the former prime minister and also chairman of Perikatan Nasional Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin.

“I don’t want to be dragged by him in his graft cases in relation to Jana Wibawa or the case of tax exemption given to Yayasan Albukhary. Why does he want to involve me?” Lim asked.

Lim first warned Muhyiddin that he will take legal action on March 4.

Lim said Muhyiddin had failed to produce evidence to support the tax exemption allegation.