Friday 29 Mar 2024
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KUALA LUMPUR (April 1): The Royal Malaysian Customs said it has received over 800 complaints as at 2pm today, mainly related to the non-itemisation of the Goods and Services Tax (GST) on receipts.

Customs’ GST director Datuk Subromaniam Tholasy urged consumers to exercise their rights to request for a receipt after a transaction, to ensure the imposition of GST is accurate and transparent.

He was speaking to reporters during a media briefing on the commence of the GST today.

He also revealed that the department had conducted a spot-check on 480 companies, alongside the Domestic, Trade, Cooperatives and Consumerism Ministry (KPDNKK) today, and found less than 40 of them non-complying with the new tax regime.

Subromaniam said this ratio is encouraging, as it shows most companies have complied to the imposition of the new consumption tax.

Meanwhile, KPDNKK’s secretary-general Datuk Seri Alias Ahmad said the ministry will continue its effort in mitigating profiteering activities nationwide.

Alias also said his ministry has received many complaints over the increase in prepaid phone card prices, after the imposition of the GST.

“We have issue[d] notices to these firms, asking them to explain the situation. If they were in fact guilty, they will be punished under the Price Control and Anti-Profiteering Act 2011,” he said.

According to Alias, the ministry has so far opened seven investigation papers, four of them related to price hike of telecommunication prepaid services.

Alias also said the ministry’s anti-profiteering centre had received 118 complaints and 301 enquiries, as at 2pm today.

Individuals found guilty under the act can be fined up to RM100,000 or sentenced to three years’ jail, or both; companies can be fined up to RM500,000 for the first offence and RM1 million for subsequent offences.

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