The Kuala Lumpur High Court has ordered Eric Tan Kim Loong, who is alleged to be an associate of fugitive businessman Low Taek Jho or Jho Low, to pay income tax of RM67,996,891.87 to the Malaysian government after failing to enter an appearance in a suit filed against him by the government through the Inland Revenue Board (IRB).
Deputy Registrar Farah Shuhada Ramli issued the order during the case management today.
Tan was also ordered to pay interest at the rate of five per cent per annum from the date of judgment until the date of realisation and costs of RM2,000 to the government.
According to the certificate of absence filed by the IRB last April 6, an affidavit on the serving of the writ of summons and statement of claims, dated January 15, was served to Tan by substituted service through a newspaper advertisement, which was made in Berita Harian last March 30 and pasted at a premise at an address in Taman Pusat Kepong here on March 29, 2021.
The Malaysian government filed the suit against Tan, seeking payment for tax arrears amounting to RM67,996,891.87 for the assessment year 2010 to 2013, at the High Court last January 15.