KOTA KINABALU: About 89,791 Goods and Services Tax (GST) statements (GST-03) were to be submitted to the Royal Malaysia Customs Department in Sabah by October of this year.
And out of the total, about 3,587 statements were submitted after the deadline, while 2,935 statements have yet to be filed, said State Customs Department Director, Datuk Hamzah Sundang yesterday.
There were already about 24,610 GST registrants in Sabah, he said at the launch of the GST Ambassador Programme held at the Kota Kinabalu Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Industry yesterday.
Hamzah said the ambassador programme was aimed at raising the awareness among GST registrants of the requirement to issue tax invoice, keeping records, declaring the GST-03 statements correctly, submitting the GST statement and paying the tax within the stipulated time frame.
He said the programme would also enable GST registrants to obtain advice related to the GST legislation, and improve the delivery system of the department to the business owners.
Under the programme, he said the department would station its GST officers at the Chambers of Commerce and Industries throughout the country and help their members in issues related to GST.
He also lauded that Kota Kinabalu Chinese Chambers of Commerce and Industries (KKCCCI) for being the first in the State to take part in the programme.
He added that there were still some in the commerce and industries who lacked understanding concerning the GST legislations and that the programme would be able to help them in the matter.
Also present at the event was KKCCCI president, Datuk Michael Lui Yen Sang.