PHOTO: DOREEN LING
KUCHING: The State Customs Department yesterday launched the state-level ‘Customs Blue Ocean Strategy Operations 3.0’ (CBOS 3.0) with the target of collecting RM3 billion in Goods and Services Tax (GST) this year.
The nation-wide initiative was officially launched by Customs Malaysia Director-General Dato’ Indera Subromaniam Tholasy at Wisma Kastam, Medan Raya here.
During a press conference, he said that the operation will involve 200,000 GST registrants which will be aimed at improving GST compliance level through education.
According to him, focus will be placed on these 200,000 who have failed to submit their tax statements, not paid tax payments, and failed to make full payment.
“Our aim is to approach them and teach and educate them, which will be followed by a reminder or a friendly warning which they have 30 days to comply with.
“Those who have failed to comply within the given time period will have action taken against them,” he said.
He also explained that GST collected is from the people and that they (GST registrants) have no right to keep the money for themselves.
“It needs to be given to the government so that the government can help the people back.
“This is why we are taking this seriously, but at the same time we don’t want to be too drastic with them unless we need to be,” he said.
The operation will be an ongoing one until 31 December 2017, which will involve 600 officers from the entire Royal Malaysian Customs Department (RMCD).
Those involved will be from the following divisions: Compliance, GST, and Enforcement from the headquarters in Putrajaya as well as a few states.
It aims to create awareness of the importance of compliance for GST rules, showing how to manage it, as well as providing advice to those who have trouble understanding.
