KUALA LUMPUR (Dec 17): Almost RM60 million in additional tax declarations and penalties have been recorded since the Inland Revenue Board (IRB) launched its Special Voluntary Disclosure Programme on Nov 3.

The additional declarations were made by close to 2,000 taxpayers from various categories, the IRB said in a statement.

Since its launch, the programme has also raked in 35,000 new registered taxpayers, it added.

As for stamp duty, some 3,000 instruments have been stamped with duty amounts and penalties totalling almost RM2 million during the period.

IRB chief executive Datuk Seri Sabin Samitah revealed the statistics during an official visit to the board’s Seremban branch today.

The programme was announced during the tabling of Budget 2019 by Finance Minister Lim Guan Eng.

Under it, if the disclosure of unreported income is made from Nov 3 until March 31, 2019, the penalty will be 10% of the tax payable.

If disclosure is made from April 1, 2019 until June 30, 2019, the penalty will be 15% of tax payable.

The rates will jump after the programme ends, ranging from 80% to a maximum of 300% of the tax payable, from July 1, 2019.

Voluntary disclose can be done at any IRB office in the country. Further information can be found on IRB’s website www.hasil.gov.my or by calling the IRB’s careline at 1-800-88-5436 or 603-7713 6666 (overseas) or by dropping an e –mail to [email protected].