Goods and Services Tax (Malaysia)


The Goods and Services Tax is an abolished value-added tax in Malaysia. GST is levied on most transactions in the production process, but is refunded with exception of Blocked Input Tax, to all parties in the chain of production other than the final consumer.
The existing standard rate for GST effective from 1 April 2015 is 6%. Many domestically consumed items such as fresh foods, water and electricity are zero-rated, while some supplies such as education and health services are GST exempted.
The tax was unpopular. It was reduced to 0% on 1 June 2018. The Government of Malaysia tabled for first reading the Bill to repeal GST in Parliament on 31 July 2018. GST was replaced with the Sales Tax and Service Tax starting 1 September 2018.

Background

GST was scheduled to be implemented by the government during the third quarter of 2011, but the implementation was delayed until 1 April 2015. Its purpose is to replace the sales and service tax which has been used in the country for several decades. The government is seeking additional revenue to offset its budget deficit and reduce its dependence on revenue from Petronas, Malaysia's state-owned oil company. The 6% tax will replace a sales-and-service tax of between 5–15%.
The Goods and Services Tax Bill 2009 was tabled for its first reading at the Dewan Rakyat on 16 December 2009.
It was delayed amid mounting criticism. The government responded by asserting that the tax on oil income will not be sustainable in the future. National Consumer Complaints Centre head Muhammad Sha’ani Abdullah has said, “The government should create more awareness on what the GST is. The public cannot be blamed for their lack of understanding, and thus, their fears”. Sha’ani says that the GST will improve accounting, reduce tax fraud, and facilitate enforcement of the upcoming Anti-Profiteering Act. Muslim Consumer Association of Malaysia leader Datuk Dr. Ma’amor Osman said the GST could help end dishonest business practices, but expressed concern about how the tax would be applied to medical products and services. A group leading the campaign against the GST, Protes, cancelled a planned protest but has stated that they will continue to agitate against the legislation.
During the government reading of the 2015 budget, Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak announced a GST tax of 6% starting on 1 April 2015. This will replace the Sales and Services Tax. Implementing GST tax will be a part of the Government’s tax reform program to enhance the capability, effectiveness and transparency of tax administration and management. The GST was implemented on 1 April 2015.
By June 2015, worldwide crude oil prices fell to half its value, with several nations & oil industries considering it a crisis. The income from the newly implemented GST managed to supplant Malaysia's national budget from the deficit induced by a loss in oil tax revenue. On 7 March 2016, the Yang di-Pertuan Agong Abdul Halim congratulated the government for implementing GST.
By May 2018, the new Malaysian government, led by Mahathir Mohamad, decided to reintroduce the Sales and Services tax after completely scrapping GST. The GST standard rate has been revised to 0% beginning the 1st of June 2018, pending the total removal of the Goods and Services Tax Act in parliament.

Zero-rated and exempted supplies

Certain good and services, mainly for domestic use and essential services, are categorized as zero-rated supplies and exempted supplies. Zero-rated supplies are taxable supplies that are taxed at a GST of 0%; exempted supplies are non-taxable supplies that are not subjected to GST. While the net effect on consumers for both zero-rated and exempted supplies is the same, i.e. consumers do not pay any GST, the difference lies in the input tax credit claim by businesses. For zero-rated supplies, while GST is charged at the zero rate to the end consumer, businesses may claim input tax credit on the GST incurred in producing the supplies. On the other hand, for exempted supplies, businesses cannot charge GST to the end consumer, and they are not eligible to claim input tax credit on the GST incurred in producing the supplies.
Examples of zero-rated supplies:
  1. Agricultural products – paddy, fresh or chilled vegetables, certain provisionally preserved vegetables
  2. Essential foodstuff – oils, salt, flour, etc.
  3. Livestocks and livestock supplies or poultry – live animals and unprocessed meat
  4. Eggs
  5. Fish – live, fresh, frozen and dried
  6. First 300 kwh of electricity for domestic use
  7. Water for domestic users
  8. Goods supplied to designated areas from Malaysia – Labuan, Langkawi & Tioman
  9. Exported goods
  10. Exported services – such as architecture services in connection with land outside Malaysia
  11. Selected services in Malaysia – such as pilotage, salvage or towage services
  12. International services – such as transport of passengers or goods from a place in Malaysia to a place outside Malaysia
  13. RON95 petrol, diesel and LPG
  14. Sale of Residential Property
  15. Services provided by Government which are not considered commercial services, such as permits, licences etc. Services considered commercial are TV advertisement, rental of equipments, rental of multifunction halls etc.
Examples of exempted supplies:
  1. Financial Services
  2. Public Transport Services
  3. Private Education Services
  4. Tolled Highways or Bridges
  5. Childcare Services
  6. Funeral, Burial and Cremation Services
  7. Private Healthcare Services
  8. Supplies Made by Societies
  9. Residential Land or Building
  10. Agriculture or General Use Land