by BERNAMA / pic by BERNAMA

Former Felda chairman Tan Sri Shahrir Abd Samad (picture) was charged in the Sessions Court here today with failing to declare RM1 million which he received from Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak to the Inland Revenue Board (IRB).

Shahrir, 71, pleaded not guilty to the charge after it was read out to him before judge Azura Alwi.

He was charged with money laundering by not stating his real income in the Income Tax Return Form for Assessment Year 2013, which is a violation of Section 113(1)(a) of the Income Tax Act 1967, on the RM1 million, believed to be from unlawful activities which he received from Najib through a AmIslamic Bank Berhad cheque dated Nov 27, 2013.

The cheque was then deposited into his (Shahrir) Public Islamic Bank account on Nov 28, 2013.

Shahrir was charged with committing the offence at IRB, Duta branch, Government Office Complex, Jalan Tuanku Abdul Halim here on April 25, 2014.

The charge was framed under Section 4(1)(a) of the Anti-Money Laundering, Anti-Terrorism Financing and Proceeds of Unlawful Activities Act 2001, which provides a maximum fine of RM5 million, or imprisonment for up to five years, or both, if found guilty.

The prosecution was conducted by deputy public prosecutors Norzilati Izhani Zainal @ Zainol and Nik Haslini Hashim, while Shahrir was represented by lawyers Syahrul Syazwan Salehin and Fahmi Abd Moin.