THE government, through the Inland Revenue Board (IRB), has filed a suit against businessman Zaidi Kanapiah, better known as Datuk Addy Kana, requiring him to pay RM1.4 million in income tax.

The government filed a writ of summons and statement of claim, through the IRB, on October 1 at the Kuala Lumpur High Court, naming Zaidi, 31, as the defendant.

Based on the statement of claim obtained through the court system (e-filing), the government claims that an additional assessment amounting to RM380,025.73 and RM918,079.23 was made for the assessment year of 2018 and 2019 respectively.

“As the defendant failed to pay income tax within 30 days as stipulated under section 103 of the Income Tax Act 1967, an increase in tax of 10% amounting to RM38,002.57 and RM91,807.92 was imposed and added to the overall income tax for the assessment years of 2018 and 2019 that still remain unpaid,” the plaintiff said in its statement of claim.

The plaintiff claims that to date, the defendant has yet to pay to the amounts and penalties due, which come up to RM1,427,915.45.

As such, the plaintiff wants the defendant to pay RM1,427,915.45, interest of 5% per annum from the date of judgment until the date of realisation, costs and other relief deemed fit by the court.

The next case management has been fixed on November 22 to update on the status of the submission of the summons.

On October 28, the government is seeking to forfeit more than RM500,000 that was seized by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission from businessman Alvin Goh Leong Yeong and the wife of Zaidi, Alyaa Syuhaila Mohamad Sharif, as well as a few of their companies.

The Federal Court on April 27 ordered Zaidi and two policemen who were detained under the Prevention of Crime Act 1959 in connection with an illegal online gambling syndicate, be released immediately.

Chief Justice Tengku Maimun Tuan Mat, who chaired a five-member panel, made the order after allowing the trio’s appeal over their applications for a writ of habeas corpus. – Bernama, November 1, 2021.