Najib claims can’t afford to pay RM1.7b IRB tax bill, alleges asset freeze bid due to election season

KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 10 — Convicted former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak has claimed that the civil action to freeze his assets was due to the upcoming Johor state election, insinuating Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin as the party responsible for this.

The Pekan MP also claimed that he does not have the US$681 million (RM2.85 billion) in assets that would warrant the freeze.

“I don't know why 1MDB thinks I have RM2.6 billion to pay compensation. I don't have the money to pay the RM1.7 billion Inland Revenue Board tax claim.

“I have no assets of US$681 million. What 1MDB's suit demands is that I cannot transfer assets up to US$681 million. Because of that, they want to limit withdrawals from my bank account including my pension account to RM100,000 a month.” he wrote on Facebook.

He claimed that the civil suit was filed by Messrs Rosli Dahlan Saravana, the firm owned by former prime Tan Sri Minister Muhyiddin Yassin’s personal lawyer, which was also appointed by 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB) when Muhyiddin was in power.

The former Umno president also pointed out that 1MDB itself was owned by the Ministry of Finance, whose minister Datuk Seri Tengku Zafrul Abdul Aziz, he said, was also appointed by Muhyiddin.

“It is very clear that the 1MDB civil suit under the minister of finance (appointed by PM8) who appointed a law firm owned by PM8’s personal lawyer is to build the perception that I have assets worth up to US$681 million to freeze,” he said, referring to Muhyiddin.

“This is fake. After years of investigating, the government is very clear on how much asset value I have.”

Najib also claimed that the civil suit was based solely on the affidavit of one of its officers and was aimed at building the perception that he had assets worth US$681 million that could be frozen.

On February 8, 1MDB and four subsidiaries secured an ex parte Mareva injunction against ex-prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak over the US$681 million (RM2.85 billion) they were seeking to reclaim from him.

According to The Edge Markets, the asset freezing also limited Najib to withdrawing no more than RM100,000 a month for his living costs and legal expenses.

A Mareva injunction is a legal order to prevent a defendant or respondent from transferring disputed assets in order to frustrate the execution of an impending judgment.

The news site further reported that the application for the order was filed this morning by Messrs Skrine on behalf of 1MDB, Global Diversified Investment Company Ltd (previously known as 1MDB Global Investment Ltd) and three other units.

The application was supported by an affidavit 1MDB director Mohd Hisyamuddin Awang Abu Bakar filed at the injunction inquiry.