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Judge Orders Malaysian Ex-PM to Settle $397M in Unpaid Taxes

VOA News

   A Malaysian court ordered former Prime Minister Najib Razak on
   Wednesday to pay $397 million in unpaid taxes accumulated while he was
   still in office, the national newswire Bernama reported.

   Citing the taxes amassed by Najib between 2011 and 2017, [1]High Court
   Judge Ahmad Bache said former premiers are not exempt from paying
   taxes. Tax authorities filed the suit last June.

   Najib also faces 42 charges of criminal breach of trust, graft, abuse
   of power and money laundering in relation to the multibillion-dollar
   [2]1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MBD) scandal.

   Malaysian authorities say [3]about $4.5 billion was stolen from 1MDB, a
   state fund Najib co-founded, between 2009 and 2015. Authorities say
   over $1 billion flowed into Najib's personal bank accounts.

   The ex-prime minister has denied wrongdoing.
   The Kuala Lumpur High Court judge set July 28 to issue his verdict for
   Najib in the 14-month 1MDB scandal trial. If convicted, he faces
   multiple years in prison.

   Najib and his party, United Malays National Organisation (UMNO), were
   ousted from power in 2018 general elections amid the 1MDB scandal,
   ending the UMNO's six-decade control of the government. Two years after
   the historic election, however, the [4]party regained power in March
   when UMNO-backed Muhyiddin Yassin became the new prime minister.

References

   1. https://www.reuters.com/article/us-malaysia-politics/malaysian-court-orders-ex-pm-najib-to-pay-400-million-tax-bill-idUSKCN24N12H
   2. https://apnews.com/508bb10d7cc525c169f261037fce9218
   3. https://www.voanews.com/east-asia-pacific/us-returns-300-million-seized-malaysian-financier
   4. https://www.voanews.com/south-central-asia/malaysia-swears-new-prime-minister-mahathir-loses-out

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