existing staff cannot cope...

Does the government knows the issue in practical terms? In the motor trade, parts as required to repair any vehicle are likely outsourced as the needs arise. So when the items are acquired and listed in the invoice as GST inclusive, the lazy clerk too busy may just take the inclusive price and add a margin for handling charges and bill the consumer twice for GST. It would be time consuming to charge the items minus GST as it is computed for each items. Each calculation may take a few minutes and if there are 1,000 such items, a day work is not enough when the bill has to go out to the consumers. The same company cannot afford a few more staff when an 8 hours work per day is only 480 minutes. So such companies would face penalties.

very hard to get capable workers on GST

Kastam ‘dukacita’ cuma 26 pendaftar cukai GST hantar penyata 22 Mei 2015 12:22 AM 0 0 Google +0 Hamzah SUNDANG (kiri) mengadakan sidang akhbar mengenai perkembangan HAMZAH SUNDANG (kiri) mengadakan sidang akhbar mengenai perkembangan pelaksanaan GST di Kuala Terengganu, kelmarin. TERENGGANU 21 Mei – Jabatan Kastam Diraja Malaysia (JKDM) Terengganu ‘dukacita’ dengan sambutan dingin pendaftar cukai barang dan perkhidmatan (GST) di negeri ini yang masih gagal menyerahkan borang penyata GST 03 masing-masing sebelum tamat tempoh pada 31 Mei ini. Pengarahnya, Datuk Hamzah Sundang menegaskan, sehubu­ngan itu, pihaknya memberi amaran kepada 786 pendaftar terbabit agar segera berbuat demikian dalam tempoh 10 hari ini dan jika gagal mereka bakal berdepan tindakan tegas. Beliau menjelaskan, mereka boleh dikenakan tindakan di bawah Seksyen 41 Akta GST 2014 yang memperuntukkan hukuman denda tidak melebihi RM50,000 atau penjara tidak melebihi tiga tahun atau kedua-duanya sekali. Menurutnya, setakat ini, hanya 26 pendaftar yang menyerahkan borang penyata tersebut kepada pihak Kastam melibatkan nilai bayaran cukai berjumlah RM140,042.42 sen. Daripada 26 pendaftar itu, kata beliau, sebanyak 19 pendaftar yang terdiri daripada syarikat atau individu adalah dari daerah ini manakala tujuh lagi di sekitar Kemaman. “Sepatutnya, mengikut yang ditetapkan dengan penyerahan borang penyata GST 03 itu sehingga 31 Mei ini, unjuran hasil GST tempatan bagi bulan Mei ini adalah RM949,571.11 sen manakala unjuran bagi tahun 2015 adalah RM46.4 juta. “Sebab itulah soal hantar pe­nyata (borang 03) sangat penting, kalau tak hantar bermakna bayaran tak ada. Kita amat beri penekanan soal menghantar borang penyata ini dan sebab itu juga kesalahannya sangat berat,” katanya. Beliau berkata demikian dalam sidang akhbar bersama Pejabat Perdagangan Dalam Nege­ri, Koperasi dan Kepenggunaan Terengganu (PPDNKK) mengenai GST di Wisma Darul Iman di sini semalam. Yang turut hadir ialah Penolong Pengarah Kanan yang juga Ketua Unit Anti Pencatutan PPDNKK Terengganu, Saidi Ismail. Menurut Hamzah, sehingga 15 Mei lalu, sebanyak 6,367 syarikat dan individu di Terengganu telah selesai mendaftar GST dengan jabatan kastam. Beliau turut menarik perhatian, pihaknya menerima sedikit aduan berkaitan GST di Terengganu apabila setakat 30 April lalu, hanya 71 aduan diterima kerana pelbagai kesalahan termasuk invois tidak ditulis tangan, maklumat tidak lengkap, tiada nombor pendaftaran GST dan sebagainya. - See more at: http://www.utusan.com.my/berita/wilayah/kastam-8216-dukacita-8217-cuma-26-pendaftar-cukai-gst-hantar-penyata-1.94289#sthash.gRKdAhw7.dpuf

1,000 risky GST statements to face legal action

1,000 risky GST statements to face legal action Legal action will be taken against nearly 1,000 risky Goods and Services Tax (GST) statements sent from May 1, said Customs Department GST director T Subromaniam. He said the agency's review through the MyGST system revealed there was a possibility of inaccurate declaration, underpayment of GDT, overclaims on tax input, tax evasion or tax fraud. "The sophisticated computerised MyGST will conduct analysis and mark risky statements. Statements identified as risky will be audited and investigated further," he told a media conference on GST in Putrajaya today. He said the department had received 5,000 statements up to date and many of the companies with risky statements were from small and medium enterprises (SMEs). "The department will not compromise on any fraud and we will conduct audit soon on accounts and statements that are doubtful," he said. He said traders making mistakes while filling up the statements were allowed to correct them but who deliberately wanted to cheat would be firmly dealt with, including court action. The MyGST system could detect any discrepancy by emitting 'red alert while the GST Audit Compliance Division had been mobilised to audit and visit companies that had been identified, he said. 'GST We Bear' slogan prohibited On another development, Subromaniam said the use of slogans such as 'GST Kami Tanggung' (GST We Bear) by traders were not permitted as it confused consumers as if GST was not imposed on the purchase of the goods. "This practice will give an inccurate picture to local and foreign investors that GST must be absorbed amd will be a cost to their ventures when they invest in Malaysia," he said. - Bernama

businesses dying?

http://www.malaysiakini.com/news/298123 “GST has caused financial hardship, forcing many traditional businesses like sundry shops, hardware shops and traditional Chinese medicine shop to close down. “There was even a businessman in Telok Intan who attempted suicide because of GST,” Lim added. “Can Teng answer why he supports instead of opposing the GST and what has he done to oppose lessen the burden of the people caused the GST?” Lim asked

Whither Malaysia cause GST?

OPEN letter to DYMM YDP Agong and all concerned citizens Very important & urgent for action Who can hold Malaysia together in this time like this. 50 years and more is enough and enough is enough. Nation building needs sacrifice, no doubt but it is lopsidedness that has prevailed against people especially in Sabah including Labuan and Sarawak. To get to the point fast, I would like to focus more on Sabah including Labuan in this OPEN letter, while Sarawak scenario is also obvious relevant. Needless to mention Sabah’s poverty is getting worst despite some “stupid” claims otherwise from somewhere. Poverty, oppression and underprivileged scenario are very important elements in nation building for a better tomorrow for all. Poverty is getting worst Sabah people is already hard pressed in term of adequate income to sustain a decent living for decades. Now with Goods and Service Tax at 6% where would such poor people get their income to cover for such additional outlay. Prices across the board have risen since 1st April, 2015 even for most items with zero rate or exempt items. Some sources claim anything up to RM90 for any family would be the tax for GST. So where would such income come from for this additional burden? On the other hand if the collection of GST from the poor people of RM500m to RM1b per annum, where would such revenue go to? The nation with national debts of almost a trillion ringgit mainly due to massive and endless corruption and profligacy would simply swallow the additional revenue from GST. GST can only be a progressive item if the high income as anticipated would materialise but for Sabah it is far from it even until 2020 under the present BN/UMNO administration with a culture of recalcitrance. Oppression is anti nationalism Sabah people including Labuan have been oppressed for decades by none other by those who claim to be socalled leaders (State and Federal) for decades. Under schemes of largely heavily rigged general elections at the start of USNO and then perpetrated by the UMNO since the 1990s, oppression of endless possibilities has prevailed. I would not say the PBS and Berjaya Government were any better but they did provide the breaks of sort of “oppression” and we have not learned from history. Oppression have been in various forms within and without namely arrivals of excessive alien people which I call “Extra People Identity Cards” holders or “Project IC” holders displacing the genuine local Sabahans which is akin to the much abhorred term such as “Ethnic Cleansing” and with this development come sort of disgusted “Apartheid”. Another arena where oppression prevails is that our wealth such as timber, palm oil and crude oil have been diverted elsewhere for nation building when Sabah remains marginalised and sidelined with much lopsidedness in so many desperate areas that need to be addressed but largely neglected for lack of funding. Underprivileged since 1960s. Without referring to the founding personalities and the paper only agreements and terms such as Malaysia Agreement 1963/Malaysia Act 1963, 20 points and the Federal Constitution as amended many times over 50 years, it is imperative that we acknowledge there was a sort of partnership (written or unwritten) that has gone awry ab initio. I think Tungku Abdul Rahman did acknowledge that North Borneo or Sabah now was an underprivileged place with underprivileged people in 1960s and even promised that Malaysia or Malaya would make Sabah as prosperous and developed on par with the Malaya then. However, reality is that Sabah remains the back water zone for 50 years. Sabah and Labuan remains underprivileged as we know today. Give Nation Building a chance but how? With much wealth from natural resources gone in Sabah, we need to address this nation building as it should be but now more burdens and blocks are added on from within and without. Without viable and adequate sovereign funds, nation building in Sabah and Sarawak would be inevitable neglected. Instead Sabah/Labuan & Sarawak are further oppressed by several important developments in the nation on the verge of disintegration namely economy decline and massive debts rising, oppressive and archaic old laws as added or amended, the questioned the Islamic Criminal Law especially Hudud affecting all in an agreed secular Federal Constitution, internal and external threats and rise of regional and global terrorism, added poverty from GST, marginalisation, “ethnic cleansing”, “apartheid”, massive corruption and illicit fund outflows, the dead claim on Sabah still allowed by the “leaders” hence Sabah would be forever remain underprivileged. Conclusion. We have seen in history how nations go bust by design or otherwise. Once great and mighty USSR was “bada bing”. So how do we hold Malaysia together or otherwise? Joshua Y C Kong PM of Interim Good Governance Government Malaysia (IGGG M) http://fresh-air-in-iggg.blogspot.com

RM1,000 + per family pa to feed the criminals of BN/UMNO

Home News Biz Sports Utusan Borneo thesundaypost Columns seeds.theborneopost.com Archive Home - News - Sarawak PKR anti-GST campaign says families taxed RM90 per month Posted on April 13, 2015, Monday Sim (front, eighth right) in a photo call with PKR leaders and supporters, holding their anti-GST banners outside Telang Usan Hotel here. MIRI: PKR launched its Anti-Goods and Services Tax (GST) campaign here, which in translation means families pay RM90 in GST tax per month. Penang’s Bayan Baru MP Sim Tze Tzin, in a press conference held at Telang Usan Hotel here yesterday, said the party at both federal and state levels, had been observing the implementation and effects of the GST since April 1. Sim claimed that feedback they received showed that the people were very distressed with the new policy. “Prices for almost all essential goods also had increased drastically since implementation of GST on April 1, clearly burdening the poor,” he said. Sim called GST a regressive tax that oppresses the poor and the needy, citing a study by Penang Institute that each household has to pay the GST tax on an average of RM1,080 per year (RM90 per month). He also said PKR rejected the implementation of GST because 80 per cent of households in the country are eligible to receive the 1Malaysia People’s Aid (BR1M) where the recipients are those who earn below RM3,000 monthly. “With the implementation of GST, the lower income group will be forced to pay tax which is not fair for them,” he added. The campaign was first launched in Kuala Lumpur on Saturday and it aims to collect one million signatures, which they hope would overturn the policy. As at yesterday, the petition had collected 16,000 signatures. “By May 1, we want to collect at least 200,000 signatures. Those who want to sign for the petition can do so on our website www.bantahGST.com,” Sim said. PKR is also giving away anti-GST stickers to the public to enhance the nationwide campaign. Some 10,000 stickers have been printed out and are ready to be distributed. Miri MP Dr Michael Teo and PKR women vice-chief Voon Shiak Ni were also present at the press conference. Read more: http://www.theborneopost.com/2015/04/13/pkr-anti-gst-campaign-says-families-taxed-rm90-per-month/#ixzz3XK0z6vyy

criminals in BN/UMNO wants to rob more from GST, 1MDB , EPF etc etc

Monday, 13 April 2015 17:08 Why so many anomalies in Malaysia's GST? font size decrease font size increase font size Cetak E-mel Komentar (4) Rate this item 1 2 3 4 5 (3 votes) Why so many anomalies in Malaysia's GST? THE mechanic is popular in the area. The cars of the neighbourhood are under his care. And there's a reason for his repeat clientele. After he's done with your car, he presents the itemised billing and a plastic bag containing the parts he has changed. The last line in the bill is classified under "labour cost" which varies on the amount of time he or his co-workers spent on your car. If he called it "service charge", would anyone bat an eyelid? So, when the waiter at a five-star hotel presents the bill for the meal complete with the service tax and GST, would you refuse to pay for the service? This is the crux of the issue that politicians and civil servants are falling over themselves and yet unable to provide plausible explanations for their antics which have now become a comedy of errors. Let's get to basics. There is no law preventing anyone from imposing a fee for his or her services. And this comes with a caveat – the person who pays for the service or goods must be aware of such charges. So, if you are presented with a food menu with the words "All prices subject to 6% GST and 10% service charge", you take cognizance that such a fee exists. If you don't agree, you walk away to another outlet. This forms the basis on which price tagging laws have been promulgated – to enable the customer to know what he is paying for – no hidden charges whatsoever. So, what is this hullabaloo about having to display collective agreements between workers and employers before outlets can charge service tax? The public wants to learn and acquire knowledge. Please enlighten us as to which statute or regulation requires outlets to make such displays? To put it on record, I have perused all the laws which the minister and his civil servants have been referring to – the Profiteering Act, the Supply of Goods Act, the Price Control Act and even the Trade Descriptions Act. There is not a single clause which makes it mandatory for such agreements to be displayed. And it has been common practice for hotels to levy a service charge, which is distributed to employees on a scale based on points. And that's perhaps why these outlets have defied the so-called directive and continue to impose the service charge. What action can be taken for such rightful defiance? Nothing, zero, zilch, kosong! The Malaysian Association of Hotels says only 7% have collective agreements with the respective unions. So, is the government saying: "These 7% can collect the charges and the remaining must not levy the charges"? Its president Cheah Swee Hee hit the nail on the head when he said that the way ahead is to sit down and talk to stakeholders. Why was this not done before some people shot their mouths off? Rightly, he said: "It is not only the practice here but the world over. Allowing only unionised hotels to get this benefit is a double standard." But a moot yet important point: The majority of the population does not wine and dine at such up-market outlets. They eat out at stalls or restaurants. Why address an issue which only caters for the well-heeled and affluent? Again, the consumer must be given a choice if he wants to eat at some posh place or the mamak stall down the road. No one is putting a gun to anyone's head and compelling him or her to an outlet which has all kinds of charges. The price of "ice kosong" is now 50 sen and Chinese tea 80 sen. Has anyone raised an issue? Honestly, nothing can be done even if tap water is priced at RM10 as long as there is a price list or menu. From Day One, there had been little or no discussion on GST with stakeholders. Judging from the health minister's remarks, it is obvious that even government departments and agencies were not consulted. Datuk S. Subramaniam has requested the Customs Department to broaden its list of GST-exempt medication saying that most medications used in normal treatments should be exempted including cancer medication and treatment as an example. He stated that when the list was provided, it contained over seven thousand types of medicines. Stating that Customs Department is still reviewing the list and has yet to respond, Subramaniam reiterated that the exemption list ought to be widened. So, who was consulted when the list of goods were picked? It is ironical that tinned sardines are subjected to GST and fresh lobsters exempted. On the issue of GST, it would not be wrong to say that the Customs Department goofed. In most countries, three areas – household goods, health and education are not touched. Even when touched, consideration is given to goods or services which would affect the ordinary person. The inevitable question is: Why was not there a consultation process? Why are there so many anomalies and doubts? There is a thick line between ignorance and stupidity. However, some bungling civil servants have intertwined both at the expense of the rakyat. - Sundaily http://www.malaysia-chronicle.com/index.php?option=com_k2&view=item&id=493531:why-so-many-anomalies-in-malaysias-gst?&Itemid=3#axzz3X5LxTxwA

With GST in Sabah, why still got Sales tax for 4D, Toto tickets etc???

With GST in Sabah, why still got Sales tax for 4D, Toto tickets etc???

23,000 queries on 1 April

http://www.malaysiakini.com/news/294041 The government seems to be getting conflicting reports about the number of complaints over the goods and services tax which came into effect yesterday. Domestic Trade, Cooperatives and Consumerism Minister Hasan Malek said over 23,000 complaints about the GST were filed via the MyKira GST application yesterday.

Prices up never go down...

GST: Greedy coffee shop owners told to stop cheating KUCHING: A number of coffee shops in the state that are not affected by the Goods and Services Tax (GST) raised prices of their drinks yesterday to fleece customers. Their acts were so sickening that Sarawak Federation of Coffee Shop and Restaurant Merchants’ Association chairman Hii Hung Yii and Sibu Coffee Shop and Restaurant Merchants’ Association chairman Tong Ing Kok saw it fit to issue verbal warnings. “Most coffee shop owners in Sarawak still maintain the same price as before the implementation of GST. There are, however, some who use the excuse of GST to raise prices on their own. “To those coffee shop owners whose turnover is not more than RM500,000 annually, I want to warn them not to do so as it is against the law. “They may be punished under the Price Control and Anti-Profiteering Act if caught,” Hii told The Borneo Post yesterday. Sarawak Federation of Coffee Shop and Restaurant Merchants’ Association has more than 4,000 members across the state. Meanwhile, Tong was also fuming that some coffee shop owners in Sibu had also raised the prices of their drinks despite numerous warnings from the Ministry of Domestic Trade, Co-operative and Consumerism (KPDNKK) and the association. “Coffee shops have been warned not to increase their prices within the first six months of the implementation of GST. “But some ignored the warnings. “What has GST got to do with them? What these unscrupulous traders are doing is bad for all of us and are tarnishing our image and reputation, especially their own. “What they are doing will not bring them any good. Customers will complain. The KPDNKK officers will also notice and conduct investigation on them. “At the end, they will be the ones in trouble,” said Tong. Tong said some coffee shops could charge GST because of the size of their business. For this category of coffee shops, the six per cent GST would be clearly stated on the receipts. “If a customer were to be told that a coffee shop charges GST, the customer must ask for a receipt. If the coffee shop cannot produce the receipt, it means the coffee shop is not paying GST. “I urge all our members not to cheat the people. Government officers are monitoring closely and at this time when the GST has just been implemented, everyone is on high alert. “The trick of these unscrupulous traders will definitely be exposed, and they will face the full force of the law.” said Tong.

How do we implement GST with less than GST tax agents of 3,000?

How do we implement GST with less than GST tax agents of 3,000? There are 400,000 clients registered for GST -big and small and largely SME with turnover between RM500,000 to RM2,000,000. Are such 400,000 taxpayers/businesses suddenly so clever to comply with the GST which is complex in Malaysia? I believe it if BN/UMNO greedy ILLEGITIMATE government under Najib implement on 1 April, 2015, most of these sme business owners would end up paying lots of unsustainable penalties and likely end up in jail. Then who would be in business? If we have 400,000 clients, each client would need minimum 2 staff well versed in GST to handle this function, then we need 800,000 trained staff to implement GST. Such companies - many accounts done by owners themselves/partimers with some part time assistance from junior people - would be hard pressed to deal with daily chores and GST compliance is a burden. How to cope with business matters now burdened with more penalties? If the Government is wise, and they think software is the answer to everything, then it is damned wrong. Each business has its own intricacy and software costs is draining much cash resources even before GST is started and the solution of GST is yet untouched and unsolved. If the Government is wise, there should have trained a few hundred thousands of graduates in GST and subsidise them (for at least two years) to work for firms in need of such staff to comply. Afterall all the GST registered companies collect on behalf of the Government, that revenue under GST. So now it is too late and many businesses may just decide to give up to avoid heavy penalties and jail sentences- not once but all the way daily when offence can be committed in compliance. When too many businesses give up, the economy would be adversely affected by various impacts namely prices across the board would rise (demand and supply), jobless people would increase, more families can be destitute, debts would rise, crimes would rise, ill health in society would exacerbate, and other social ills like break up of families and children go without education and other problems could be endless. The worst can be in Sabah. Hence I advocate zero rate for Sabah for 5 years until Sabah catch up with Malaya. We all need to learn from mistakes aplenty but GST would generate a new set of worse mistakes. Joshua Y. C. Kong PM of IGGG M. http://fresh-air-in-iggg.blogspot.com

tough deals

Action on dodging firms begins; RM1.2b target in Sabah revenue from GST: Customs Published on: Tuesday, March 03, 2015 Kota Kinabalu: A special all-out operation called Ops GST has been launched by the Customs Department to trace companies which failed to register for the Goods and Services Tax (GST) before the Feb. 28 deadline. State Customs Director Datuk Dr Janathan Kandok (pic) said these companies would be compounded RM15,000 and registered according to the existing procedure. Those who fail to settle the compound within two weeks can be fined up to RM30,000 or jailed up to two years or both. Janathan said the operation is part of a nationwide effort to trace companies which "forgot" to register despite being given warnings and leniency to do so months ago. "In Sabah, a total of 18,625 companies out of the estimated 20,000 eligible companies had registered for GST as of Feb. 28 and a total of 1,375 companies have yet to do so," he told the State-level launch of Ops GST at the Wisma Kastam here. The operation would be conducted in Kota Kinabalu and major towns such as Tawau, Sandakan, Lahad Datu and Keningau, among others. "This is a joint effort which involves 16 teams of officers and personnel from three divisions in the Customs Department, namely the GST Division, Compliance Division and Enforcement Division," he said. On another note, he said the Customs Department was targeting to collect a total of RM1.2 billion in revenue from GST, levy, import tax and export tax this year. The department also for the first time invited a lion dance troupe to add joy to the launching ceremony in conjunction with the Chinese New Year celebration. In KUALA LUMPUR, the Customs Department has issued compounds of RM15,000 to 100 companies for failing to register. Companies with an income threshold of RM500,000 had to register for the GST which comes into effect on April 1. Customs Department GST Director Datuk Subromaniam Tholasy said it is important for companies to register as the department needed to provide a level playing field for businesses. "By not registering for the GST, the firms have a competitive advantage. This will create a lot of confusion and is unfair to those compliant businesses," he said. "The system is in place. But my main concern is the preparation of the businesses, as failure to understand the GST guidelines will result in the companies facing problems, especially in the early stage of implementation," he said. Due to this, Subromaniam advised business owners to read and understand the relevant guidelines available on the Customs Department's GST online portal or contact any of its offices, should they need further clarification. As of Feb 28, there were 345,376 companies registered for the GST. The initial registration deadline was set for December last year but extended to Feb 28.

SANDAKAN, Feb 27 — A total of 325,279 companies have registered for the Goods and Services Tax (GST) as the deadline ends tomorrow, Deputy Finance Minister Datuk Ahmad Maslan said. The Finance Ministry is satisfied with the number although about 40,000 companies have yet to do so as it has achieved the target of getting 240,000 companies to register for the tax regime

Feb 27 — A total of 325,279 companies have registered for the Goods and Services Tax (GST) as the deadline ends tomorrow, Deputy Finance Minister Datuk Ahmad Maslan said.
The Finance Ministry is satisfied with the number although about 40,000 companies have yet to do so as it has achieved the target of getting 240,000 companies to register for the tax regime, he said.
“We want the remaining companies to sign up tomorrow to avoid being slapped with a RM15,000 compound,” he told reporters after attending a briefing on the GST, Budget 2015 and current issues here today.
Businesses have been reminded to register for the GST since June 1 last year and the deadline had been extended from December 31 to tomorrow, he said, adding that the deadline would not be extended further as the government had given businesses ample time to do so.
Ahmad said the government, with the aid of consumers associations, would monitor the prices upon the implementation of the GST on April 1. — Bernama
- See more at: http://www.themalaymailonline.com/malaysia/article/over-325000-companies-have-registered-for-gst-ahead-of-tomorrows-deadline-m?utm_medium=twitter&utm_source=twitterfeed#sthash.wgWWz7MP.dpuf

same message of fear of GST in 2015

what a mistake in this news of GST?

Gaming firms in Sabah to absorb the 6pc GST

Published on: Tuesday, February 10, 2015

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KOTA KINABALU: Gaming companies in Sabah will absorb the six per cent Goods and Service Tax (GST) after its implementation in April 1, said Datuk Dr TC Goh.
"We have been directed by the Ministry of Finance who is our licensed authority and with the consent of the Customs Department to bear the six per cent GST.
"Therefore, the 6 per cent tax will be part of our expenses…we will absorb it or the other way around is to convert into the total revenue making it 2.4 per cent," he said on Monday.
However, Goh who is the President of Everise Ventures Sdn Bhd (EVSB), the managing company of Sandakan Turf Club (STC), explained that under the special scheme set by the government, they will deduct the pool betting duty, gaming tax, the prize they need to pay to the winner, pay out ratio, pay out winning prize money from their total revenue.
"If our total nett is positive, then we're required to pay six per cent tax to the government but if it is negative, then we're not required to pay," he said, adding that they are not allowed to carry forward any draws in terms of losses.
Goh also explained that punters pay 15 per cent sales tax imposed by the State Government. "So we will collect the tax from the punters and pay it to the government. Therefore, you can see that the number forecast industry is selling RM1.15 per unit whereas in peninsula, they do not have this.
"There is sales tax in Sarawak but they only pay 7.5 which means RM1.75 but we are selling it for RM1.15. Therefore, this is an uphill task for the number forecast industry in Sabah generally," he said, adding that 2015 will be a challenging year especially after the implementation of GST.
According to him, the various high taxes imposed by the Federal and State government, Customs Department as well as Inland Revenue Board will definitely affect their sales revenue.
"There will be less competition among licensed operators compared to the illegal ones. "Therefore, we urge the government and of course the authority to look into this problem and take necessary actions against those illegal operators to protect legal operators and government revenue.
"As you can see, we pay a lot of taxes and if our revenue drops then the government will receive less taxes as well," he said, stating that they are not allowed to increase their selling or change the prize payout unless they received an approval from the government.
"STC is one of the operators in Sabah and we have Sports Toto as well as Diriwan 88. Out of these three, STC is the only company which has one product, which is 4D. The rest of the operators have three or more products.
"So we are among the smallest and the only Sabah-based company," he said, stating that the increase of products is subject to the government's approval.
Goh also said that the number forecast is a sunset industry as it is preferred among adults above 50.
"Malaysia is one of the oldest countries to operate the industry but we are getting fewer punters among youngsters.
"Youngsters don't really like the 4D game. They prefer other games such as soccer, machine based and others. That's why it's a sunset industry because it will affect our annual revenue when we have lesser senior citizens.
"As a local operator, we have a lot of social obligations to perform so this is going to be quite challenging," he said

why haram?

Jahara reports Ustaz for saying GST is haram

February 2, 2015

Penang opposition leader lodges report against an Ustaz for misleading Muslims about GST in his Friday sermon.

BUTTERWORTH: Penang state legislative assembly opposition leader Jahara Hamid today lodged a police report against a religious teacher who allegedly said the Goods and Services Tax (GST) was illegal for Muslims during his lecture at the Bagan Lebai Tahir mosque here.
Jahara, who is also Teluk Air Tawar state assemblyman, said the report was lodged because his evening sermon last Friday had caused confusion on the implementation of GST.
“I received a complaint from a member of the congregation who claimed the ‘ustaz’ (religious teacher) in his lecture stated that it was ‘haram’ (illegal) to impose GST on Muslims and (GST) can only be imposed on non Muslims.
“The lecture delivered by the ustaz contradicted the explanation on Islamic laws on GST issued by the Islamic Religious Department (Jakim) on the GST implementation in Malaysia,” she said when contacted here today.
The police report was made at the Teluk Air Tawar police station.
Jahara also urged the Penang State Islamic Religious Council and Penang State Islamic Religious Department to investigate the ustaz’s sermon that was presented last Friday.
“I have also requested the Penang Islamic Religious authorities to ensure all mosques and surau in the state are not being used by irresponsible quarters to create confusion and doubts among Muslims.” he said.
- BERNAMA

RM100 per day for penalty

GST: Customs to go after stubborn traders

Published on: Tuesday, January 27, 2015

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Kota Kinabalu: The Customs Department will continue to trace stubborn business owners who have yet to register for the Goods and Services Tax (GST).
Sabah Customs Director Datuk Janathan Kandok said he believed there are still many companies that have yet to register even though the closing date was on Dec 31 last year.
However, he added, so far, the department had yet to take any action against any companies that committed the offence.
"But I would like to remind them to register. Do not procrastinate any longer. You will be compounded RM100 a day for that failure. Today is Jan 26, so the total amount of compound that you will have to fork out is RM2,600 already," he said, adding that in Sabah, about 16,000 companies have registered for GST.
Janathan was speaking after the 33rd World Customs Day 2015 celebration held in Wisma Pertanian, here, Monday.
He said the department had done its best in educating the public about GST but admitted that there are still many who are in the dark about the new tax system.
The problem, he said, is the public's preference to turn to social media when looking for information due to ease of accessibility.
"Instead of referring to us, they referred to the social media. Many people are getting information on the Internet but not all of these are correct.
"If the public insisted on scouring the Internet for knowledge, there is a big possibility that they would be misled. I would urge the public, if you want accurate information, refer to the Customs Department.
"I believe the public will be supporting GST if only they fully understood it," he said.
In the meantime, he said, he is satisfied by the level of commitment and dedication shown by Customs staff in the State.
"Looking at the performance reports, I am happy to note that our staff in all stations have been impressive in carrying out their duties and responsibilities.
"I also would like to call upon other enforcement agencies to continue assisting the Customs in curbing illegal activities such as drug trafficking into the State.
"I think it is important for us to cooperate with each other, especially in terms of information sharing," he said.

Thankless strata home GST status change

Thankless strata home GST status change

Published on: Monday, January 26, 2015

Kota Kinabalu: When the Goods and Services Tax's (GST) six per cent regime was first announced in 2013 that it will be implemented from April 1, there was no firm knowledge as to whether the management or maintenance service charges payable for strata home or residential property are subjected to GST payment or not.
Even the booklet meant for consumer understanding and reference would only be released later this month.
A lot of smart alecks were already increasing the management fees while arguing on both sides of the amateurish approach to the implementation of the GST regime when even a lot of Customs officers were clueless waiting for directives whether oral or in writing.
In the beginning, they were only professional in given general, hazy, evasive, stonewalling answers. Even industries from the A-Z like travel, hotel to the insurance sectors resigned to their cluelessness and double-speak when asking for specific and authoritative answers.
Last year, some residential management committees registered for GST to be on the safe side of the law before the deadline on the understanding that all joint management boards and management committees of residential strata properties were placed under the standard rated supply list if their annual billing of maintenance and sinking funds exceeded RM500,000.
Being on the standard rated supply list means they are supposed to register as GST-paying entities if conditions are met.
Now, belatedly, the Finance Ministry has notified that all categories of residential strata property will be placed under the exempt supply list of the goods and services tax (GST).
This means their joint management boards (JMBs) and management committees (MCs) need not register as GST-paying entities, even if their collections exceed RM500,000.
The reply from the ministry was revealed only after petitions for zero rated status were sent to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak, who is also the Finance Minister.
The ministry replied that it could not consider the appeal to be categorised as zero rated because JMBs and MCs of residential strata properties were regarded as entities engaged in conducting a form of business under the GST Act.
This means the appeal to classify maintenance fees and sinking funds paid by low- and medium-cost apartment residents as zero rated was rejected by the cash-strapped government.
The ministry stated that all categories of residential strata property would be placed under the exempt supply list from the low-cost to the super expensive penthouses of condominiums.
Previously, only low and medium-cost apartments were placed under the exempt supply list.
Being on the exempt supply list means that while JMBs and MCs did not have to register as GST-paying entities, residents cannot claim back the six per cent they pay as GST for the services of their contractors, technicians and repairmen for the upkeep of their flats.
For the government, there was actually no difference between the GST-exempt supply and GST standard-rated supply because in the end, the government would still get to collect the 6 per cent GST.
The only difference was whether this was though output tax or input tax.
There are still a lot of smart alecks looking forward to meet with the ministry for a mind change before April 1 for all strata units – whether residential or commercial – to be classified under the zero-rated supply list including the plight of the low- and medium-cost strata unit dwellers who largely comprise of the working and lower-income class already struggling with the rising cost of living.
Under the exempt supply list, although they do not have to register as a GST-paying entity, residents would not get a refund for the 6 per cent input tax they would have to pay their contractors, technicians and repairmen for the upkeep of their projects.This in effect, would mean that JMBs and MCs would have to increase maintenance charges in these developments by 6 per cent in order to pay suppliers in the form of input tax.
Only goods under the zero-rated supply list can claim from the Customs Department the GST incurred through payments to service providers.
Rising cost of living is already putting pressure on low- and medium-income families, and for them, there is no betterment in terms of what the government has offered, except getting the BR1M payment.
Residents of low- and medium-cost apartments formed the bulk of those living in the 25,000 stratified housing estates in Malaysia as they could not afford to stay in landed homes like some hawkers are going to increase their prices even if some politicians call for price drop because of the decrease in fuel prices.
Meanwhile, the Federation of Sabah Industries (FSI) calls for a deferment in the hike in water as well as electricity tariffs in view of what was described as going to be a bad year.

seek litigation when confronted

‘Govt will force companies to register for GST’

January 24, 2015

Deputy minister says penalties of RM2,000 to RM15,000 will be imposed.

KUALA LUMPUR: About 50,000 companies who missed the December 31 deadline to register for the Goods and Services Tax will face penalties of RM2,000 to RM15,000, the government said today.
Deputy Finance Minister Ahmad Maslan said the government would force companies to register, with a minimum RM2,000 penalty for compounding their missing the compulsory registration deadline. “If you do not want to register, we will register for you and a maximum of RM15,000 will be compounded. The company name and other information are available at the Inland Revenue Board,” he said.
Speaking on BernamaTV on Friday night, Ahmad said the overall response to the GST had been “amazing” – the government initially expected only 150,000 companies to register but the number had gone to more than 305,000 companies.
GST will be implemented from April 1 at the rate of six per cent, replacing the current Sales and Services Tax.
Ahmad also said the government was ready to make further revisions to the 2015 Budget, including deferring the implementation of high-impact mega projects, if global oil prices continue to plunge.
However the government’s projections were that oil prices are not likely to dip below US$40 per barrel. “The government and most economists expect oil prices to hover around US$40-US$70 per barrel, and we choose US$55 per barrel as the average oil price for the year,” he said.
All current mega projects such as the Pan Borneo Highway, the two mass transit lines in the Klang Valley, and the Kuala Lumpur-Singapore High Speed Rail will continue.
The Pan Borneo Highway would catalyse development in Sabah and Sarawak and should not be delayed again because it could change the economic landscape along the highways.
“Similarly, the MRT and high-speed train projects will be catalysts for economic growth. Creating a high-speed rail will involve hundreds of economic activities involving various industries including manufacturing and services,” he explained.
– Bernama