Finance ministry to lodge police report on Yayasan Albukhary tax exemption claims

The finance ministry says it will lodge a police report on allegations that former finance minister Lim Guan Eng revoked the tax exemption status of Yayasan Albukhary and that the letter of cancellation was signed by ministry officials, as is being circulated on social media. 

In a statement today, the ministry said it viewed these allegations seriously as the ministry, whether through the former finance minister and/or its officers, had not revoked any approval on the tax exemption granted to Yayasan Albukhary.

It said Yayasan Albukhary had been approved as a non-profit organisation undertaking charitable works under Subsection 44(6) of the Income Tax Act, which grants it tax exemption status.

On Tuesday, Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim told Parliament during the Prime Minister’s Question time that Lim had never revoked the tax exemption given to Yayasan Albukhary throughout his two-year tenure as finance minister beginning May 2018.