Tax probe on Dr M not politically motivated, says Johari

KOTA KINABALU: The ongoing investigations made by the Inland Revenue Board (LHDN) against Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad were not ‘politically motivated’, as claimed by certain parties, Second Finance Minister Datuk Seri Johari Abdul Ghani said.

“LHDN is a body that acts and functions independently, without any intervention from any political party.

“LHDN bears the responsibility to investigate everyone, so long as LHDN has concrete proof and valid reason to do so.

“No one has the power to dictate LHDN. No one can tell LHDN to investigate any particular person,” Johari said when met by reporters at an event in Le Meridien Hotel, Kota Kinabalu on Friday.

“If a person is innocent, he has nothing to worry about as there is no way the LHDN can establish his guilt,” Johari stressed.

He added that LHDN had been doing this for a long time.

He said that LHDN had been investigating bigger companies on a yearly basis.

“LHDN has its own Board of Directors. I do not believe that the directors themselves are involved in politics.

“Even if I, myself, were to be investigated, I would not be scared .... after all this (Mahathir’s) investigation is only about tax,” Johari said.

He disclosed that, even before this, large companies owned by the government were also subjected to similar investigations.

When asked to be given examples of the said companies, Johari said that it was a sensitive issue and therefore he was not allowed to reveal the names.

Commenting on the call made by certain parties to conduct the same investigation into family members of cabinet members, Johari said that he had no power over that issue as the investigation duties were in the hands of LHDN alone.