KUALA LUMPUR: Several court cases involving high-profile personalities, including the former Lembaga Tabung Haji (TH) chairman Datuk Seri Abdul Azeez Abdul Rahim, and Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor, the wife of former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak, will take centre stage this week.
The High Court will decide on Nov 11 whether to grant former Lembaga Tabung Haji chairman Datuk Seri Abdul Azeez Abdul Rahim leave for judicial review to challenge the Inland Revenue Board’s revocation of his RM4.8 million tax and penalty settlement.
High Court judge S. Indra Nehru, who heard submissions from both parties on Oct 8, will deliver the decision.
Azeez is seeking to quash the board’s decision to revoke the settlement agreement dated Feb 9, 2022 and the composite assessment notice dated March 22, 2022, for the 2011 to 2020 assessment years.
Azeez claimed the board carried out a tax investigation against him in late 2021 or early 2022, before both parties reached an agreement four years ago.
He said the agreement required him to pay RM4.8 million in taxes and penalties for the 2011 to 2020 assessment years in instalments.
He further claimed he had settled the payments in accordance with the agreement reached.
However, he claimed he received a letter dated Aug 7 from the board’s Negri Sembilan Strategic Compliance Division informing him of its decision to revoke the agreement and the composite assessment notice.
He also claimed he received several additional notices from the board relating to the Anti-Money Laundering, Anti-Terrorism Financing and Proceeds of Unlawful Activities Act.
On Nov 12, the Court of Appeal in Putrajaya is scheduled to hear interlocutory proceedings in the civil suit filed by 1Malaysia Development Bhd and 10 other companies against Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor.
Through the suit, the fund is seeking to recover luxury goods worth more than US$346 million allegedly bought using funds misappropriated from it and related companies.
On the same day, the Kuala Lumpur High Court is scheduled to hear case management of Perikatan Nasional’s application for leave to initiate committal proceedings against Registrar of Societies Datuk Mohd Zulfikar Ahmad.
The application was filed by Perikatan Nasional secretary-general Datuk Seri Takiyuddin Hassan and four other party leaders, after the registrar revoked the coalition’s registration while a judicial review application was still pending.
Perikatan Nasional claimed the move was a form of contempt of court as it was made before the stay application was heard.
On Nov 13, the Federal Court is scheduled to hear, via e-review, the mention of the Inland Revenue Board’s claim against former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak over RM1.69 billion in additional income tax arrears and penalties for the 2011 to 2017 assessment years.
A check on the e-Judiciary system showed the 9am proceedings will be held before court registrar Norshakinah Ahmad Kamarudin.
Bankruptcy proceedings against Najib were previously stayed pending the disposal of his tax appeal before the Special Commissioners of Income Tax.