MCA vice president Datuk Lawrence Low has urged the government to defer the expansion of the Sales and Service Tax (SST) and improve the e-invoicing rollout amid global trade tensions and rising domestic business costs.
Recall that the expansion of the SST scope was previously announced in Budget 2025 last year and is expected to generate an extra RM5 bil in revenue for the nation. The expansion is set to roll out on May 1 this year.
Low who is also the party’s economic and SME affairs committee chairman warned that Malaysia’s exports and supply chains are already feeling the pinch due to new US tariffs on China and ASEAN while local demand remains weak.
“Pushing ahead with new taxes now is like adding fuel to the fire—businesses are already struggling to survive,” he said.
Echoing the Malaysian Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Industry’s (ACCCIM) call for a delay to the SST expansion, Low said policy-making must involve real consultation, not top-down decisions.
“One-size-fits-all measures will only force more SMEs to shut down,” he added.
Low went on to criticise the e-invoicing policy, noting that while the third phase of e-invoicing was delayed to January 1 next year from July 1, 2025 originally, the root problems remain unresolved.
“Traders earning just RM150,000 a year—barely RM430 a day—often lack the infrastructure to comply. The RM150,000 threshold is unrealistic,” he continued.
Low proposed that businesses earning below RM500,000 be exempted, and the threshold be raised to RM1.5 mil to balance digitalisation with business survival.
The third phase of the full implementation of e-invoicing would have involved all types of businesses including MSMEs.
The implementation of e-invoicing began on Aug 1, 2024, for companies with annual sales exceeding RM100 mil.
From Jan 1, 2025, the second phase of e-invoicing began for companies with annual sales between RM25 mil and RM100 mil.
The government had allowed an exemption of the e-invoice issuance to small businesses with annual sales below RM150,000.
Calling for reforms to be timely and empathetic, Low stressed: “The government must review these plans, adjust thresholds, and provide better support for businesses and households.
“Tax reform is necessary—but not at the cost of people’s livelihoods. Let’s reform with timing, realism, and empathy.” – April 25, 2025
Main image: theSun
