Cardiologist claims trial for failure to declare more than RM25mil in earnings
KUALA LUMPUR: Cardiologist Dr Lee Chiang Heng claimed trial at a magistrate's court here for failure to declare more than RM25mil of his earnings to the Inland Revenue Board (IRB).
Lee was not present due to unavoidable matters that were urgent and had a letter permitting him to send a representative for the charging on Monday.
Mohd Idham Omar pleaded not guilty on behalf of Lee to five counts of wilful evasion under Section 114(1)(a) of the Income Tax Act over five years from 2007 to 2011.
In the charge sheet, Lee is alleged to have wilfully evaded taxes by partially omitting his earnings from his clinic, Klinik Dr Lee Chiang Heng and his monthly salary in Gleneagles Hospital which amounted to a total of RM25,063,265.
This therefore amounted to RM6,567,992.59 of income tax which is said to have not been paid.
If convicted, Dr Lee could face a minimum fine of RM1,000 and not more than RM20,000, a maximum jail time of three years or both.
He would also have to pay in special penalties three times more than the amount he failed to pay for each charge, totalling RM19,703,977.77 (6,567,992.59 x 3).
Lee is accused of failing to pay RM638,171.20 for the year-of-assessment in 2007, RM1,282,035.16 (2008), RM1,415,004.68 (2009), RM1,549,877.13 (2010), RM1,682,903.82 (2011).
No bail was discussed as it was a non-seizeable offence and Magistrate Siti Radziah Kamarudin set Sept 20 for mention.
Lee's lawyer was Dir Kheizwan Kamaruddin and IRB prosecuting officer Mohd Shafuddin Hasan prosecuted.
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