YOURSAY | ‘Can he claim he was victimised when he failed to declare RM9.5m as income?’
Shafee cries 'victimisation', bail set at RM1m
NoNonsence: I still clearly recall how arrogantly former prime minister Najib Abdul Razak’s lawyer Muhammad Shafee Abdullah conducted the appeal in Anwar Ibrahim’s Sodomy II trial and overturned the High Court acquittal of the current Pakatan Harapan de facto leader earlier.
I clearly remember how Shafee convinced the three-panel judges consisting of Justices Balia Yusof Wahi, Aziah Ali and Mohd Zawawi Salleh to dismiss the appeal very quickly, which raised doubts over the administration of justice.
I remember clearly how dejected Anwar’s leading lawyer Gopal Sri Ram was as he looked on helplessly as Shafee bulldozed his way in the court proceeding.
I also clearly recall how arrogantly he went on a roadshow to convince the people of Anwar’s guilt in Sodomy II.
Shafee apparently had the power behind him to do anything he deemed right with little or no consideration whatsoever for the laws and norms.
Today, Shafee himself stands accused, and Anwar’s lawyer who he defeated is going to lead his prosecution, and Anwar is on his way to become the next prime minister.
The power that was behind Shafee’s many victories is now totally destroyed by none other than the real force, one that is most powerful and just - the rakyat.
Fairnsquare: What 'victimisation'? By your own admission, you received RM9.5 million from Najib.
You allegedly did not comply with the Anti-Money Laundering, Anti-Terrorism Financing and Proceeds of Unlawful Activities Act 2001 (Amla), and make the required declarations.
You have also allegedly not declared the money received as income for the mentioned period, thereby violating the Income Tax Act 1967. Truly, it is quite hard to defend.
FairMind: “Victimised” means one has done nothing wrong and the law was used against him.
Can he claim that he was victimised when he received RM9.5 million and he allegedly did not declare it in his income tax returns but initially brushed it off as "nonsense"?
It appears the ones who are victimised were honest taxpaying citizens.
Panorama123: Shafee had made a crystal-clear statement by claiming publicly that it was “nonsense” when he was questioned about the RM9.5 million payment from Najib previously.
Subsequently, his statement changed after RM9.5 million in two cheques were traced to his frozen bank account by MACC and the Attorney-General’s Chambers (AGC).
It will be easy to verify the consistency of the changed statement by tracing Shafee’s firm’s reported income and income tax returns submitted for the relevant years.
In addition, there is no avenue for arguments using the “cash accounting” concept, as private sector tax and accounting need to be based on accruals concept based on existing legislation.
This should be an easy job for the AGC.
Clever Voter: Shafee has a worried face, and so he should. The charges are real, and for the first time, he has had his first taste of charges being read out against him.
One cannot tell whether he had expected this. But a man of his intellect should have expected this.
Police: RM2.97b entered Najib's account, 132 illicit fund transactions
Vijay47: Deputy inspector-general of police Noor Rashid Ibrahim, do not for a moment expect me to be impressed and give you a pat on the back for work well done.
On the contrary, I am filled with revulsion to hear a senior police officer now come out with your revelation.
All these years, every enforcement agency including and especially former attorney-general Mohamed Apandi Ali, the police force and two inspector-generals of police, Khalid Abu Bakar and Mohamad Fuzi Harun, bent back backwards to claim that nothing was amiss, that there was no connection between Najib and illegal funds.
And now, just four months after the change in government, you have the cheek to inform the country about RM2.97 billion and 132 illicit transactions.
The entire police force, all its senior officers past and serving, must be investigated and, if necessary, charged in court.
To indulge in a triviality, Noor Rashid, what’s the latest on the Criminal Investigation Department director who generously declined to pursue the return of his RM1 million from Australia?
Remember, Fuzi gave him a clean bill.
XED: Before May 9, 2018, no authority in Malaysia found “proceeds from unlawful activities”, is that correct?
Wow, what a change of government can do to open the eyes of the nation’s finest, the crime busters extraordinary.
Free and Fair Election: Many comments here are made towards the police for not bringing up the issue pre-GE14.
We must understand that Najib was the prime minister at that time and he had powers to sack, transfer or even get rid of them permanently. Thus, for the sake of survival, none dared to reveal anything.
Of course, there were others who were brought in by the prime minister to protect him like Apandi, former 1MDB president Arul Kanda Kandasamy and the list goes on. For these, they do not deserve sympathy.
But remember there were those who couldn't do anything openly, but leaked out information to Sarawak Report and The Wall Street Journal.
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