Hunt down tax evaders even if they are my friends, Anwar tells LHDN

Hunt down tax evaders even if they are my friends, Anwar tells LHDN

CYBERJAYA: Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim has encouraged the Inland Revenue Board (LHDN) to aggressively find ways to hunt down those who evade paying taxes, even if they are his friends or supporters.

Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim says authorities must go all-out to recover lost tax revenue.“Whether they are my friends or my supporters, paying tax is compulsory, and LHDN must go all-out to collect tax from them,” he said at an event to mark LHDN’s 27th anniversary here today.

In June last year, LHDN said 31,598 entities had yet to declare their income that resulted in RM665 million in lost revenue for the government.

It said this could “adversely impact the country’s economic stability” if not addressed immediately.

LHDN said these entities, which included nearly 24,000 individuals, were identified based on asset ownership and their ability to secure loans and securities valued at RM500,000 and above.

‘Root out systemic corruption’

Anwar, who is also the finance minister, said the country must intensify efforts to root out corruption, which he described as being “systemic”.

While he did not name any parties, he said numerous political leaders had accumulated “massive wealth”.

He said while there were certain quarters who claimed that they were clean, they were operating in a “dirty system”.

Anwar also chided Muslims clad in “robes and kopiah”, but who defended the corrupt.

“What is the point of living if (they have) no moral values?” he said, without naming anyone.