Thursday, April 17, 2014

Customs dept to intensify GST information drive


17 April 2014| last updated at 03:27PM

PUTRAJAYA: The Customs Department will intensify its information drive on the Goods and Services Tax (GST), including using the social media, so that the public will understand and accept the implementation of GST, scheduled from April, 2015.

Its director-general Datuk Seri Khazali Ahmad said various programmes would be carried out, such as premier public talks at the state level to explain the GST to all levels of society.

"We have written to all the state secretaries for the 'ceramah perdana' to be held in their respective states. Twenty to 30 such public talks are expected to be conducted to explain and disseminate information on the importance and advantages of the GST to the masses.

"The programme is also to allay doubts and fears over the GST so as to ensure its smooth implementation in generating economic wealth for the country and people on the whole," he said after a talk on the GST at the Putrajaya International Convention Centre, here, today.

Khazali said in explaining the GST right down to the grassroots, the Customs Department would also hold various programmes at the district level.

About 2,000 civil servants attended today's talk on GST which was opened by Second Finance Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Husni Hanadzlah.

Also present were Deputy Finance Minister Datuk Ahmad Maslan and Treasury secretary-general Tan Sri Dr Mohd Irwan Siregar Abdullah.

To expand the GST information drive, Khazali said the Customs Department would be using the social media to connect with the Y generation.

"To create better understanding on the implementation of the GST, a very important aspect is increasing training and publicity in order to reach all levels of society."

He said in this regard, the Customs Department and Finance Ministry already had and was carrying on a series of publicity and training programmes such as public consultations, visits to the industries and tax consultations with the relevant parties like the Malaysian Institute of Taxation.-- BERNAMA

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