KUALA LUMPUR – Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahidi Hamidi has claimed that he was once ordered to pay RM13 million in income tax by then-finance minister Lim Guan Eng.
Zahid, who is also Barisan Nasional (BN) chairman, asserted that during Pakatan Harapan’s (PH) first stint in federal power from May 2018 to February 2020, Lim had held a “hatred” for BN and its linchpin party Umno.
“At that time, the PH government (led by former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad) was pressuring us (with all sorts of demands). I myself was made to pay RM13 million in income tax, although I had already made monthly payments.
“This happened because the finance minister then (Lim) really hated Umno and BN,” Zahid said in his officiating speech at the Malaysian Indian Muslim Congress (Kimma) general assembly at the World Trade Centre here today.
Noting that he had never shared this issue with anyone previously, Zahid added that when BN agreed to support Perikatan Nasional (PN) chairman Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin as prime minister to take over from Dr Mahathir, it had made a grave mistake.
“It turns out that when we signed the statutory declarations (supporting Muhyiddin as prime minister), we escaped from the tiger’s mouth only to enter the crocodile’s mouth.”
Besides that, Zahid also said that he is confident in BN making a comeback as a dominant coalition in the nation’s political landscape, urging coalition members and supporters to remain steadfast against challenges thrown their way.
He also expressed his confidence on how the 16th general elections (GE16) will see BN returning to lead the government, predicting that the coalition will win more seats than federal unity government partner PH and rival PN.
“Many have asked, for how long will BN-Umno have only a deputy prime minister (as its representative)? To answer that, I say that we will have our own prime minister when we win more seats than other coalitions.” – September 2, 2023