Ex-Felda chairman Shahrir Samad claims trial to RM1m money laundering charge

KUALA LUMPUR (Jan 21): Former Federal Land Development Authority (Felda) chairman Tan Sri Shahrir Samad has pleaded not guilty and claimed trial to the RM1 million money laundering charge brought against him.

He made the plea today before Sessions Court judge Azura Alwi, who had set bail at RM350,000 with the accused to surrender his passport to the court.

Shahrir has been charged with one count of money laundering due to his failure to report his actual income for the 2013 year of income tax assessment, breaching section 113(1)(a) of the Income Tax Act 1967, as he did not report a total of RM1 million received from former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak.

The amount was received via an AmIslamic Bank Bhd cheque dated Nov 27, 2013, which was deposited into the accused's Public Islamic Bank account on Nov 28, 2013.

He was charged under section 4(1)(a) of the Anti-Money Laundering and Anti-Terrorism Financing Act 2001.

If found guilty, Shahrir will be fined not not more than RM5 million or jailed for no longer than five years or both.

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