Friday, August 3, 2012

Use car tax provision wisely


Publication: NST
Date of publication: Aug 2, 2012
Section heading: Main Section
Page number: 018
Byline / Author: By Jeong Chun Phuoc

THE article Downside of removing car taxes (NST, July 29) by S.M. Nasarudin S.M. Nasimuddin (Naza Group of Companies joint executive chairman) is especially candid from an automobile industry perspective.

In no way is this more apparent than in the statistic shared by S.M. Nasarudin in highlighting the negative impact on the gross domestic product (GDP), besides the loss to both automobile companies and consumers, as a direct result of a complete removal of car taxes.

The debate on the total removal of car taxes is not without the underlying perils of exerting inadvertent pressures on the national economy, which is struggling to achieve progress within the national key economic areas (NKEAs) framework.

As a general rule, for the consumers particularly, any reduction in taxes is welcome news. The proposed Goods and Services Tax (GST) to replace the old Sales and Services Tax (SST) (of five per cent and 10 per cent respectively) is to primarily improve tax collection and invigorate the economic machinery of Malaysia.

Increasing the collection in taxes will augur well in the construction and maintenance of public infrastructure and amenities for the people. The GST is a vital tool in achieving economic wellbeing.

Since 2004, when the GST proposal was announced in Budget 2005, numerous public awareness programmes have been carried out by the government to educate the general public and the business community (Preparing for the GST, NST, Dec 9, 2010). This includes efforts to counter GST misperception and concerns.

Seven years have passed, and it is understood that both the public and private sectors have established administrative and technical set-ups to incorporate the new GST system.

The GST policy manifest and its advantages are well documented in nearly 140 jurisdictions which have embraced the GST system - the closest example is Singapore.

The recent enactment of the Price Control and Anti-Profiteering Act 2010 has set a positive momentum for the final execution of the GST. What remains to be seen is the need for immediate GST implementation.

The GST, in essence, will address the inherent weaknesses in the current SST system and hence, any delay will imperil the achievement of overarching public interest objectives delineated under the Economic Transformation Programme (ETP).

As a matter of fact, the recent pronouncement of six Strategic Reform Initiatives (SRIs) can be accelerated along the GST revenue framework to achieve competitiveness in the realisation of core economic transformation blueprints.

In the same way, if car taxes are to be removed, the public and stakeholders must be assured it will not cause immediate catastrophic downstream impact on all stakeholders and consumers. At this point of debate for and against car taxes, advocates for the complete repeal of car taxes provide no assurances to the concerns raised by S.M. Nasaruddin.

This is, of course, not to say that car taxes are always good for the economy and consumers, because car tax to foreign automobile exporters is no music to their ears.

Car taxes are just another accepted form of economic strategy observed in both developed and developing countries to protect core national assets and interests at home, in light of the nebulous World Trade Organisation provisions on the dismantling of tariffs on all goods and services at the global platform. Whether car taxes are a boon or bane for the economy, this must be addressed in a fair, transparent and objective manner, similar to the case for GST to replace the old SST. To argue against car taxes without evidence is like putting the cart before the horse.


Jeong Chun Phuoc, Shah Alam, Selangor

Wednesday, August 1, 2012

Muktamad 18 fokus gubal Bajet 2013


Publication: BH
Date of publication: Jul 31, 2012
Section heading: Bisnes
Page number: 004
Byline / Author: Oleh Mohd Zaky Zainuddin


Petaling Jaya: Kerajaan akan memuktamadkan perbincangan terperinci 18 kumpulan fokus bagi penggubalan Bajet 2013 minggu ini, kata Timbalan Menteri Kewangan, Datuk Donald Lim Siang Chai.

Beliau berkata, daripada 18 kumpulan fokus itu, 15 sudah bermesyuarat dengan Kementerian Kewangan, manakala selebihnya dijangka selesai beberapa hari lagi.

Perbincangan 18 kumpulan fokus itu menyentuh kepada pelbagai bidang termasuk pembangunan perusahaan kecil dan sederhana (PKS), teknologi hijau, rumah mampu milik dan pelan transformasi bandar, katanya pada sidang media selepas melancarkan cawangan francais pertama perunding perkahwinan, ADAMAS Weddings Sdn Bhd, di Petaling Jaya, semalam. Hadir sama, Pengasas ADAMAS, Dr Khoo Kien Ling.

Jun lalu, Kementerian Kewangan memulakan sesi pertama perbincangan kumpulan fokus bagi Bajet 2013 dengan tumpuan kepada inisiatif baru untuk meningkatkan pelaburan swasta dalam persekitaran ekonomi global semasa yang tidak menentu.

Mesyuarat 18 kumpulan fokus itu diadakan bagi membincangkan secara terperinci isu berkaitan, dengan hasil perbincangannya akan dijadikan sebagai input kepada penggubalan Bajet 2013 yang akan dibentangkan di Parlimen pada 28 September ini.

Donald berkata, semua cadangan dikemukakan dipertimbangkan dan sedang diteliti, manakala hasilnya hanya diketahui apabila Perdana Menteri, Datuk Seri Najib Razak membentangkan bajet berkenaan nanti.

Kerajaan akan mengambil kira semua cadangan termasuk pelaksanaan cukai barangan dan perkhidmatan (GST) dan cukai korporat, katanya.

Sementara itu, Kien Ling berkata, ADAMAS merancang membuka sekurang-kurangnya satu cawangan di setiap negeri di seluruh negara dalam tempoh lima tahun akan datang.

Selain itu, katanya, syarikat turut meninjau peluang meneroka pasaran di China, Singapura dan beberapa negara di Asia Tenggara menjelang 2017.

ADAMAS House of Ethereal Weddings, Kota Damansara adalah cawangan pertama kami dan dikembangkan ke beberapa lokasi lagi dalam masa terdekat termasuk Johor Bahru (akhir tahun ini), katanya.

Beliau berkata, ADAMAS meninjau peluang meluaskan cawangan di Klang dan Pulau Pinang selain sedang berbincang dengan pihak ketiga di Kemboja untuk tujuan sama.

Semua cawangan akan dibuka menerusi sistem francais dan ia menjadikan ADAMAS sebagai syarikat perunding perkahwinan pertama yang beroperasi secara francais di negara ini, katanya.

INFO

18 kumpulan fokus

- Semua perbincangan dimuktamadkan minggu ini.
- 15 kumpulan sudah bermesyuarat setakat ini.
- Perbincangan berkisar mengenai PKS, teknologi hijau, rumah mampu milik dan pelan transformasi bandar.

GST unlikely to be in 2013 Budget


Business Times


July 31, 2012
Byline: Ooi Tee Ching
KUALA LUMPUR: THE 2013 Budget is not likely to introduce the goods and services tax (GST), said Deputy Finance Minister Datuk Donald Lim Siang Chai.
"We're currently raising public awareness on the importance of implementing GST. It would only be implemented when the public has full understanding of it," said Lim.
Prime Minister and Finance Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak is scheduled to table the 2013 Budget in Parliament on September 28.
The GST Bill was tabled initially for reading in Parliament in December 2009 but its second reading was postponed.
Critics of the GST proposal say the government should first address revenue leakages and wastage before introducing new taxes to boost its income.
Lim then went on to say tax incentive proposals submitted by trade bodies, lobby groups and the public are being scrutinised by his ministry.
"Among priority areas of discussion are small and medium enterprises, green technology, affordable housing and the urban transformation plan," he told reporters after launching the Adamas Weddings Franchise Concept here yesterday.
Also present was Adamas Weddings founder Dr Khoo Kien Ling, who set up Malaysia's first and only wedding planning school offering the Weddings Beautiful certification programme. Students pay a fee of RM11,500 to undergo a four-month programme to become certified wedding planners.
Since September 2011, the Ministry of Domestic Trade, Co-operative and Consumerism has approved of Adamas issuing franchise licences for wedding planning.
She explained that the Adamas franchise concept outlet in Kota Damansara facilitates aspiring wedding planners to set up their own business with a start-up package of only RM250,000.
"We make it easy for investors to take up the wedding planning business.
Loan packages from the government are available for those who do not have enough capital," she said.

GST unlikely to be in 2013 Budget


Publication: NST
Date of publication: Jul 31, 2012
Section heading: Business Times
Page number: 004
Byline / Author: By Ooi Tee Ching

KUALA LUMPUR: THE 2013 Budget is not likely to introduce the goods and services tax (GST), said Deputy Finance Minister Datuk Donald Lim Siang Chai.

We're currently raising public awareness on the importance of implementing GST. It would only be implemented when the public has full understanding of it, said Lim.

Prime Minister and Finance Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak is scheduled to table the 2013 Budget in Parliament on September 28.

The GST Bill was tabled initially for reading in Parliament in December 2009 but its second reading was postponed.

Critics of the GST proposal say the government should first address revenue leakages and wastage before introducing new taxes to boost its income.

Lim then went on to say tax incentive proposals submitted by trade bodies, lobby groups and the public are being scrutinised by his ministry.

Among priority areas of discussion are small and medium enterprises, green technology, affordable housing and the urban transformation plan, he told reporters after launching the Adamas Weddings Franchise Concept here yesterday.

Also present was Adamas Weddings founder Dr Khoo Kien Ling, who set up Malaysia's first and only wedding planning school offering the Weddings Beautiful certification programme. Students pay a fee of RM11,500 to undergo a four-month programme to become certified wedding planners.

Since September 2011, the Ministry of Domestic Trade, Co-operative and Consumerism has approved of Adamas issuing franchise licences for wedding planning.

She explained that the Adamas franchise concept outlet in Kota Damansara facilitates aspiring wedding planners to set up their own business with a start-up package of only RM250,000.


We make it easy for investors to take up the wedding planning business. Loan packages from the government are available for those who do not have enough capital, she said.

Tuesday, July 31, 2012

Govt set to conclude discussions on focus areas for Budget 2013



Posted on July 31, 2012, Tuesday

KUALA LUMPUR: The government will conclude detailed discussions on the 18 focus areas for the Budget 2013 by the end of this week, Deputy Finance Minister, Datuk Donald Lim Siang Chai said.

To date, 15 areas have been discussed, and another three would be deliberated at the next meeting slated for the end of this week, he said.

“Among the areas are small and medium enterprises, green technology, affordable housing and the urban transformation plan,” he told reporters after launching the Adamas Franchise Concept Outlet, a wedding planning consultancy firm, here yesterday.

Lim said all proposals tendered by organisations and the public for consideration in the annual budget are being scrutinised, and the outcome will only be known when the Prime Minister and Finance Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak tables the Budget 2013 in Parliament on Sept 28.

On a possible announcement on the goods and services tax (GST) as well as a slash in corporate tax, he said: “As far as these issues are concerned, there is feedback from many quarters.

“We are taking into account all suggestions and the next step is to consult will all the stakeholders.” — Bernama


Monday, July 30, 2012

Govt set to conclude discussions on focus areas


KUALA LUMPUR (July 30, 2012): The government will conclude detailed discussions on the 18 focus areas for the Budget 2013 by the end of this week, Deputy Finance Minister, Datuk Donald Lim Siang Chai said.

To date, 15 areas have been discussed, and another three would be deliberated at the next meeting slated for the end of this week, he said.

“Among the areas are small and medium enterprises, green technology, affordable housing and the urban transformation plan,” he told reporters after launching the Adamas Franchise Concept Outlet, a wedding planning consultancy firm, here today.

Lim said all proposals tendered by organisations and the public for consideration in the annual budget are being scrutinised, and the outcome will only be known when the Prime Minister and Finance Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak tables the Budget 2013 in Parliament on Sept 28.


On a possible announcement on the goods and services tax (GST) as well as a slash in corporate tax, he said: “As far as these issues are concerned, there is feedback from many quarters. We are taking into account all suggestions and the next step is to consult will all the stakeholders.” — Bernama

Tahukah apa yang tertera dalam resit anda?


ARKIB : 30/07/2012

APABILA terdengar kerajaan ingin memperkenalkan cukai barangan dan perkhidmatan (GST), maka ramai yang melatah dan membantah tanpa usul periksa. Pelbagai dakwaan diberikan kononnya cukai baru itu akan menambahkan lagi beban rakyat, kita terpaksa membayar lebih apabila berbelanja dan sebagainya.

Walaupun demikian, apa yang menarik sebenarnya mereka tidak menyedari selama ini mereka telah membayar cukai jualan dan perkhidmatan (SST) yang lebih tinggi daripada kadar GST yang akan diperkenalkan kelak setiap kali membeli barangan.

Nampaknya, kita langsung tidak kisah membayar dengan harga lebih tinggi itu kerana berapa ramai daripada kita yang sanggup membelek penyata yang terdapat dalam resit-resit pembelian barangan, terutama resit pembelian makanan di restoran, hotel, kelab dan sebagainya?

Jika anda tidak percaya, cuba lihat resit atau bil anda selepas membeli burger, ayam goreng atau pizza di restoran-restoran terkenal itu.

Anda tentu menyedari terdapat perkataan 'cukai perkhidmatan' atau 'cukai kerajaan' diletakkan di dalam bil anda sebagai tambahan daripada harga barangan sebenar.

Tahukah anda selama ini kita membayar harga barangan itu (dengan tambahan cukai) tanpa sebarang rungutan.

Selain cukai perkhidmatan yang tertulis itu yang kadarnya enam peratus, harga barangan yang kita beli itu juga sebenarnya telah dikenakan cukai jualan yang secara standardnya berkadar 10 peratus.

Anda tidak kisah bukan? Tanpa sebarang masalah, anda sanggup membayar harga barangan yang telah ditambah cukai jualan dan perkhidmatan itu.

Bagaimanapun, apabila kerajaan menyatakan hasrat hendak melaksanakan GST dengan cadangan kadar empat peratus (iaitu jauh lebih rendah daripada kadar cukai yang anda bayar sekarang), anda melenting!

Kenapa terjadi demikian? Mungkin anda seorang rakyat Malaysia yang sangat 'pemurah' kerana ingin membayar cukai yang lebih kepada kerajaan atau anda sebenarnya tidak tahu perkara sebenar perbezaan antara cukai SST (yang dikenakan sekarang) dengan GST yang akan diperkenalkan nanti.

Sebagai pengguna, kita seharusnya mengetahui setiap maklumat mengenai kadar cukai yang dibayar, sama ada cukai tertera atau cukai tersembunyi setiap kali membeli barangan.

Sememangnya, kita perlu mengetahui apakah cukai itu, berapa kadarnya dan kenapa kita dikenakan cukai tersebut sebelum melenting dan menentang apa sahaja cukai baru yang diumumkan kerajaan.

Secara umumnya, cukai jualan 10 peratus dikenakan untuk semua barangan yang dipasarkan.

Manakala, cukai perkhidmatan enam peratus untuk barangan atau perkhidmatan yang diperoleh di hotel, restoran, hospital swasta dan sebagainya.

Selain itu, sesetengah premis mengenakan tambahan 10 peratus caj perkhidmatan (service charge) yang kesemua bayaran itu adalah untuk pemilik restoran itu dan bukannya untuk dibayar kepada kerajaan.

Sehubungan itu, cadangan memperkenalkan GST bertujuan menggantikan SST yang diperkenalkan sejak 1972, bukanlah satu cukai baru tetapi satu struktur cukai diperbaharui yang lebih baik kepada pengguna dan juga kerajaan.

Sudah tentu ia lebih baik kepada kita kerana kadar cadangan empat atau lima peratus adalah lebih rendah berbanding kadar 10 peratus (cukai jualan) dan enam peratus (cukai perkhidmatan) yang dikenakan kepada kita selama ini.

GST atau cukai nilai tambah (VAT) juga kini telah diterima pakai di lebih 140 buah negara seluruh dunia dan ia juga tidak akan membebankan rakyat kerana pengecualian akan diberikan ke atas barangan keperluan seperti produk-produk pertanian serta makanan asas.

Bagi peniaga kecil dan sederhana, GST juga berupaya mengurangkan kos operasi mereka kerana syarikat yang mencatatkan perolehan tahunan kurang daripada RM500,000 adalah dikecualikan daripada membayar cukai itu.

- Ikuti sambungan artikel GST di minggu depan.


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