DON’T practise double standards, Lim Guan Eng told the tax authorities today, saying they should cast their net wider to get Jho Low and not just millionaires who failed to pay taxes.

The Penang chief minister was commenting on reports that the Inland Revenue Board (IRB) has stepped up its pursuit of millionaires and businessmen over tax evasion.

Lim said the IRB might claim to be doing its job and a national service, but it would be practising double standards if it failed to go after Jho Low, who had bought luxury properties, paintings and more.

“The government has run out of money and is going everywhere squeezing for money. The IRB is reportedly going after businessmen and this will have a chilling effect on businesses.

“But it should go for everybody, especially this young man from Penang, Jho Low, who allegedly has billions of ringgit. If IRB fails to go for Jho Low, many will question IRB’s double standards.

“Collect every sen due from Jho Low and those involved in the 1MDB scandal. Why take action on small fries but you don’t take action against the big ‘buaya’?” said Lim during a press conference at Komtar today.

Low, whose real name is Low Taek Jho, is the businessman in his 30s from Penang, who is allegedly at the centre of the 1Malaysia Development Berhad scandal.

The IRB is targeting millionaires who owed millions in tax arrears, warning that there will be stringent enforcement this year with more auditing and investigations by the board.

In March, Prime Minister Najib Razak reportedly told the Dewan Rakyat that the uncollected income tax as of December 31 last year was estimated at RM6.8 billion. – May 10, 2017.