Corporate leaders finally paying taxes instead of pleading with PM - Anwar

Summary

• PM Anwar Ibrahim claims all corporate leaders are paying their taxes for the first time without pleading for leniency.

• He tells the IRB not to fear those with Tun and Tan Sri titles when carrying out their jobs.

Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim claims his government’s strong support for the Inland Revenue Board (IRB) has led to a decrease in cases of influential figures trying to get out of paying their taxes.

He said the government is not giving any room to anyone, especially the ultra-rich, to evade the taxman.

“I wish to record the highest of gratitude to the IRB because this may be the first time that corporate leaders, without exceptions, all fulfilled their responsibility to pay their taxes.

“My ministers and I have given strong support (to the IRB) to the point that none dare to plead with me. This shows the IRB’s integrity,” Anwar was quoted as saying by Berita Harian today.

He added that he has never asked IRB CEO Abu Tariq Jamaluddin to dial down the pressure when collecting dues.

“If they (tax collectors) go to those with Tun, Tan Sri titles, the mahakaya (ultra rich), these people will call the higher ups (in IRB) and those carrying out their responsibilities will be pressured.

“Usually, such enforcers - including the management - will not dare (to fight back) if they know that the leadership does not support them in carrying out their leadership,” he said.

Anwar also chided the rich who claim to fight for the poor but don’t want to pay their taxes.

He sarcastically questioned if such people thought government funding to help the poor would fall from the sky.

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