High Court dismisses Shafee’s bid to initiate counterclaim against LHDN
The High Court here has dismissed lawyer Tan Sri Muhammad Shafee Abdullah’s leave application to initiate a counterclaim against the Inland Revenue Board (LHDN) over RM9.41mil in alleged tax arrears.
(The Star) – Judicial Commissioner Roz Mawar Rozain, in her decision, said that an individual facing a tax recovery lawsuit was not entitled to file a counterclaim against the government.
Muhammad Shafee had contended that the lawsuit was filed against him in bad faith and it was a collateral attack for defending former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak.
The senior lawyer was Najib’s lead counsel in his 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB)-linked criminal cases.
“However, the court observed that the defendant’s counterclaim was against parties like the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) and the Attorney General’s Chambers (AGC), which are not part of today’s proceedings,” JC Roz Mawar said here on Thursday (April 13).
Any complaints a taxpayer had about their tax amount could be addressed at the Special Commissioners of Income Tax (SCIT), she said.
