KUALA LUMPUR: The government has filed a lawsuit against businessman Zaidi Kanapiah, better known as Datuk Addy Kana, in a bid to claim RM1.4mil in tax arrears.

       The suit was filed through the Inland Revenue Board (IRB) on Oct 1 and named Zaidi as the defendant.

       In the suit, the government is seeking to claim RM1,427,915.45 from the 37-year-old for two-year tax arrears.

       Based on the statement of claim, it was stated that Zaidi had failed to submit a personal income tax form under Section 77 of the Income Tax Act 1967 for the assessment years of 2018 and 2019.

       Therefore, he was subject to additional assessment of RM918,079.23 for 2019 and RM380,025.73 for 2018 through assessment notices dated March 7, which were delivered to his last known address.

       The suit further claimed that because the defendant had failed to pay his income tax in 30 days as provided under Section 103 of the Income Tax Act, a 10% increase amounting to RM38,002.57 (for 2018) and RM91,807.92 (for 2019) was imposed on him on top of the assessed amount.

       "The plaintiff has the right to claim the owed income tax as well as the increased amount imposed on him.

       "Until today, the defendant still failed to pay the plaintiff the total amount of income tax owed to the plaintiff including the increased amount whereby the total amount is RM1,427,915.45," it said.

       Apart from the total amount, the government is also seeking interests at 5% per annum from the date of judgment, costs and other reliefs deemed fit by the court.

       A check on the court system showed that the case has been fixed for further case management on Nov 22.

       On Sept 29, the government sought to forfeit monies from Zaidi's wife Alyaa Syuhaila Mohamad Shariff along with businessman Alvin Goh and three entities over allegations that the monies were profits from illegal cryptocurrency trading and online gambling activities.

       In notices of motion filed separately, the government named Goh, his two companies Malaysian House of Internet Sdn Bhd and Networld Computer (KL) Sdn Bhd, Alyaa Syuhaila and Nine Nine International Sdn Bhd – a company where she and her husband sat as directors – as respondents.

       According to the court documents, the government sought to retrieve from Alyaa Syuhaila a total of RM353,723.81 from five accounts: RM127,000, RM71,000 and RM108,577.05 from three Amanah Saham Bumiputera accounts; and RM26,343.43 and RM20,803.33 from two Maybank accounts.

       Zaidi, who was detained under the Prevention of Crime Act (Poca) 1959 for two years in connection with an online gambling syndicate, was released on April 27 after the Federal Court allowed his application for a writ of habeas corpus.