Malaysian former Prime Minister Najib Razak (Photo: AFP/VNA) Hanoi (VNA) - A Malaysian court on July 22 ordered former Prime Minister Najib Razak, related to the 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) fund, to settle 1.69 billion ringgit (397.41 million USD) in unpaid taxes over seven years while he was still in office, the National News Agency Bernama of Malaysia reported.
Bernama quoted High Court judge Ahmad Bache as saying that former premiers are not exempt from paying tax and that Najib must pay his "debt" to the government.
Previously, in June, Malaysian tax authorities filed a suit to recover unpaid taxes accumulated by Najib between 2011 and 2017, plus penalties and interest.
A separate court will deliver its verdict in a case against Najib on July 28, the first of several corruption trials he faces linked to the 1MDB scandal.
Najib served as prime minister from 2009 to 2018. He founded the 1MDB in 2009 with the aim of boosting the country’s socio-economic development. Malaysian and American investigators believe that the fund has looted about 4.5 billion USD, about 1 billion USD of which was sent to Nazib’s personal bank account.
Corruption charge in the scandal contributed to Nazib’s losing power at the general election on May 9, 2018. At least six countries are investigating the scandal./.
VNA
