KUALA LUMPUR (Bernama): The trial of former Felda chairman Tan Sri Shahrir Abdul Samad, who is charged with failing to declare RM1mil he allegedly received from Datuk Seri Najib Razak to the Inland Revenue Board (IRB), will begin in April next year.

       Deputy public prosecutor Mohd ‘Afif Ali said the High Court here has set the trial to run from April 6-8, 11-14, and 18-21, and May 17-19 and 23-25.

       “The case will be tried before Judge Datuk Ahmad Shahrir Mohd Salleh. The court also set Aug 11 for the next case management,” he told reporters via WhatsApp after virtual case management before Senior Assistant Registrar Nur Azizah Jaafar on Friday (July 2).

       The proceeding was also attended by deputy public prosecutors Natrah Fareha Rahmat and Rasyidah Murni Azmi, as well as Shahrir’s lawyer Syahrul Syazwan Salehin.

       Shahrir, 71, was charged with money laundering by not stating his real income in the Income Tax Return Form for Assessment Year 2013, which is a violation of Section 113(1)(a) of the Income Tax Act 1967, on the RM1mil, believed to be from unlawful activities, which he received from Najib through an AmIslamic Bank Bhd cheque dated Nov 27, 2013.

       The cheque was deposited into Shahrir's Public Islamic Bank account on Nov 28, 2013.

       He was charged with committing the offence at IRB, Duta Branch, Government Office Complex, Jalan Tuanku Abdul Halim here on April 25, 2014.

       The charge, framed under Section 4(1)(a) of the Anti-Money Laundering, Anti-Terrorism Financing and Proceeds of Unlawful Activities Act 2001, provides for a maximum fine of RM5mil, or imprisonment for up to five years, or both, if found guilty. – Bernama