Azmin claimed that Guan Eng had abused his power when he was finance minister.
DAP chairperson Lim Guan Eng said he will sue Bersatu leader Azmin Ali for making allegedly defamatory remarks against him.
This is over Azmin’s statement that Lim used the Inland Revenue Board (IRB) to chase down companies linked to MCA during the latter’s time as the finance minister.
“Azmin has chosen to target me by making unprovoked personal attacks with lies that are published in MCA and government-controlled papers.
“I had never used the IRB to target Chinese businesspeople. Despite me asking Azmin repeatedly to show proof, he has failed to do so,” Lim said in a statement today.
He added that he previously sued and won a defamation suit on a related matter after a businessperson, who Lim claimed is a supporter of the current government, insinuated that he was harassed by IRB after being instigated by Lim.
Azmin had also claimed that Lim was responsible for new taxes on businesses, targeting specific Chinese businesses.
Lim said during his time as finance minister, he had reduced the tax on SMEs from 18 percent to 17 percent and increased the income threshold from RM500,000 to RM600,000.
Meanwhile, the current government will be imposing a slew of new taxes on the rakyat and businesses, he said, such as the windfall tax this year and a 10 percent sales tax for online purchases of foreign low-value goods below RM500 next year.
Lim was also accused by Azmin of trying to sabotage bumiputera agencies when Harapan was in power.
Again, Lim said, Azmin has failed to provide any evidence to back up these “wild claims” of his.
Aside from taking legal action against Azmin, Lim said he is also mulling suing PN chairperson Muhyiddin Yassin for defamation as well for making similar statements against him.