THE High Court in Kuala Lumpur was today told that Shahrir Ab Samad should have reported the RM1 million he received in 2013 to the Inland Revenue Board (IRB).

Deputy head of the celebrity, public and various entertainers desk audit unit, IRB assessment division, Tuan Zulkfli Tuan Lah, 48, said Shahrir should report the money he received to the IRB to determine whether the money was taxable income.

“It is the responsibility of taxpayers to report their income and for certain categories, commission and rental money are also income.

“If the sum received is large enough, reaching up to RM1 million, it needs to be reported to the IRB to determine whether it is eligible to be taxed. The tax charged depends on the income,” he added when re-examined by deputy public prosecutor Rasyidah Murni Azmi.

Shahrir is on trial for failing to declare RM1 million he received from jailed former prime minister Najib Razak through an AmIslamic Bank Berhad cheque, dated November 27, 2013, to IRB.

Tuan Zulkfli, who is the 21st prosecution witness, said that Shahrir, a former Johor Bahru MP, was a good taxpayer and had not failed to submit his tax assessment forms since 2004.

On October 5, Tuan Zulkfli told the court that Shahrir never declared income exceeding RM1 million for the assessment years 2013 to 2018 to the IRB.

Tuan Zulkfli said the charge of failing to declare income is a serious and embarrassing offence that can tarnish a person’s image, regardless of whether he is an MP,” he added.

Shahrir, 72, is facing a charge of 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.

He was charged with committing the offence at IRB, Duta Branch, Government Office Complex, Jalan Tuanku Abdul Halim, on April 25, 2014.

The charge, under section 4(1) of the Anti-Money Laundering and Anti-Terrorism Financing Act 2001, provides imprisonment for up to five years imprisonment or a fine of RM5 million or both, if convicted.

The hearing before judge Muhammad Jamil Hussin continues tomorrow. – Bernama, December 13, 2022.