No GST refunds for exiting via Causeway, Second Link

JOHOR BARU: Foreign tourists leaving Malaysia via the designated land and sea exit points are not entitled to get refund of the Goods and Services Tax (GST). Johor Customs Department director Datuk Ramli Johari said that the refunding of the GST would only apply to foreign tourists leaving the country through airports.

"We have the Tourist Refund Scheme where they (foreign tourists) could refund their GST spend on their shopping bills at the dedicated counters in our airports," he said.

Ramli said Singaporeans who made up the most numbers of foreign tourists entering Malaysia through the Causeway and the Second Link Crossing in Johor were not entitled to the refund scheme.

He said this in a media briefing before the crackdown against errant business owners in Johor who did not register for GST after the Feb 28, deadline.



Ramli said that 44,692 businesses in Johor had registered for GST before the deadline expired while 4,741 businesses have not registered for the new tax regime.

"We have already notified the businesses which have not registered and will visit them until the middle of the month to make sure they are registered," added Ramli.

There are 2,724 companies in the Johor Baru district which include Kulaijaya, Pontian and Kota Tinggi yet to register followed by 1,118 in Muar and Segments.

Batu Pahat has 548 businesses while 351 companies in Kluang and Mersing have still not registered after the deadline expired.

He said about 90 officials were involved in the operation statewide to track down business owners who had yet to register for GST.

"Our operation started on March 1 and on March 3, 219 companies have registered either on the spot, online or at our GST kiosks," said Ramli.
 

Source: Daily Express , Malaysia, dated 15/03/2015.