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News Wrap-up: Of taxes and refunds

Aug 23, 2018

Customs Department wants more items taxed under SST

Just a week until the SST comes into force, the Customs Department is suggesting for more items to be taxed!

Smartphones were originally on the tax-exempted list, but Customs is now pushing for a 5% tax. 

Other items moved from tax-free to taxable includes hard disks, pendrives, sauces, liquid sugar, and even brooms and mops.

Personal hygiene items such as deodorant, toothpaste, toothbrush and soap are now also expected to be charged the full 10% sales tax. 

However, sports equipment is still on the exempted list.

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Excess income and property tax yet to be refunded

The previous Barisan Nasional government has yet to refund RM16 billion worth of excess income tax and real property gains tax to taxpayers. 

The Finance Minister said some of these taxes have been owned since six years ago. 

This is due to a shortage of transfers from the direct tax revenue collected in the Tax Refunds Trust Fund. 

However, Lim Guan Eng said tax payers with outstanding tax refunds will be allowed to offset the amount, against the tax payable for the current year. 

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No refunds for AES summonses

The Transport Minister has reiterated that the government is in no position to refund motorists who've already paid their AES summonses.

Anthony Loke said all the money went to the concessionaires and the government did not benefit at all.

He also said there will be no review of the fines. 

Last week, the government announced all unpaid AES summonses will be written off, as the government works to take over operations from the two concessionaires.

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Musa Aman given more recovery time

Sabah police will give former Chief Minister, Tan Sri Musa Aman time to recover before taking his statement over a criminal intimidation accusation. 

However, they denied this was special treatment, insisting it's for humanitarian reasons. 

Musa Aman has returned to Malaysia, following months abroad for medical treatment.