Dr Mahathir Mohamad has hinted that his associates are being targeted by the Inland Revenue Board (IRB).

During his tenure as prime minister, Mahathir had the unfailing support of a long list of millionaires and billionaires, whom critics referred to as his cronies, and never missed an opportunity to point out how these individuals had benefited from government contracts.

Speaking at a ceramah in Selayang last night, Mahathir, who is now chairperson of Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu), claimed that donors to Pakatan Harapan parties are in the IRB's crosshairs.

"To ensure that they win the elections, they are now preventing all sorts of donations and financing for opposition parties.

"Even if it is RM40,000, they will ask 'what is this for?'. If they disclose that this is for Harapan, then they will be investigated and harassed by the IRB," he said.

Although Mahathir did not name the purported targets, two known Mahathir associates have been in the news of late after facing troubles with the IRB.

Yesterday, MK Land Holdings Bhd announced that the firm received a surprise tax bill of RM80.77 million in relation to the assessment years for 2009 to 2011, and 2013.

More on the hit list?

MK Land, best known for developing Bukit Merah Laketown and Damansara Perdana, was founded by Mustapha Kamal Abu Bakar.

According to MK Land's filing with Bursa Malaysia yesterday, the company had disagreed with IRB's assessment methods and would appeal.

Meanwhile, Country Heights Holdings Bhd's (CHHB) executive chairperson and major shareholder Lee Kim Yew's assets in a foreign-owned bank were frozen by the IRB earlier this month.

According to the company's filing to Bursa Malaysia, IRB was attempting to recover a RM22.5 million tax bill from a CHHB subsidiary for the year 1997 and 1998.

News reports suggested that both MK Land and Country Heights had to sell assets in order to settle their tax bills.

It is understood that Mahathir was not referring to Mustapha Kamal and Lee alone.

There are several other known Mahathir associates whose books are being scrutinised by IRB as well, but this has not been reported.