FORMER Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin (picture) has fully settled the RM1.4 million judgment sum, including costs, awarded to Lim Guan Eng in a defamation lawsuit concerning the tax-exempt status of Yayasan Albukhary.
Media reported that Lim’s lawyer, Guok Ngek Seong said the Pagoh MP transferred the remaining RM1 million into his firm’s client account on Jan 23, ahead of the Jan 27 deadline.
The first instalment of RM400,000 was paid in December.
Muhyiddin had previously obtained a conditional stay of judgment from Justice Roz Mawar Rozain on Dec 16.
The terms required him to pay RM400,000 by Dec 31, with the remaining RM1 million due by Jan 27.
Despite the payment, Muhyiddin has filed an appeal with the Court of Appeal, contesting the liability and quantum of damages awarded.
The High Court ruled in Lim’s favour on Nov 8, awarding him RM1.35 million in damages and RM50,000 in costs.
The court found that Muhyiddin had defamed Lim in Facebook statements made in March last year.
The statements accused Lim, in his role as finance minister, of directing the Inland Revenue Board (LHDN) to revoke Yayasan Albukhary’s tax-exempt status, imposing taxes on the Muslim charitable foundation and applying a 45% penalty on backdated taxes.
Justice Roz Mawar Rozain also determined that Muhyiddin defamed Lim by suggesting that the revocation of the foundation’s tax-exempt status was a deliberate abuse of power targeting Muslims, as LHDN was under Lim’s purview at the time — TMR
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