The MCO-related SST exemption finally comes to an end, with some caveats for late deliveries.
Back in mid-June 2020, the Malaysian government announced a series of economic incentives designed to help the economy recover after COVID-19 related lockdowns. One of these measures was the sales tax exemption on passenger vehicles in Malaysia which was set at 100% SST exemption on CKD vehicles and 50% SST discount on CBU vehicles. Pick-up trucks and commercial vehicles were not included in this tax break. The initial discount was supposed to run until the end of 2020, but due to additional lockdowns, it was extended multiple times, with the latest deadline being 30th June 2022. Today, the Ministry of Finance announced that there would be no more extension to this deadline.
That being said, the government is giving a window of 9 months for vehicle registrations that are delayed. That means that if you reserved your vehicle before the 30th of June 2022 but there are delays in delivery, you can still enjoy the SST exempted price as long as the vehicle is registered by the 31st of March 2023. That’s a very reasonable 9 month window, even with the ongoing semiconductor shortage. The government estimates that 264,000 vehicles on backorder will not be able to be delivered to customers in time for the 30 June 2022 deadline, hence the extension to the end of March of next year for those affected customers.
Since the SST exemption was put in place, over 868,422 passenger vehicles have been sold in Malaysia, with RM4.7 billion in forgone tax revenue absorbed by the government. That amounts to an average savings of RM5412.12 per vehicle – a very minor dent in overall vehicle prices and definitely not enough to justify an unnecessary new car purchase.
Here’s the press release in Bahasa Malaysia.
PRESS RELEASE
Pengecualian Cukai Jualan Kenderaan Penumpang: Tarikh Akhir Kekal 30 Jun 2022; Tempoh Pendaftaran Kenderaan Dilanjutkan ke 31 Mac 2023
Bagi mengekal dan meningkatkan momentum permintaan dan jualan kenderaan penumpang yang terjejas akibat pandemik COVID-19, Kerajaan telah memperkenalkan pengecualian sepenuhnya cukai jualan ke atas kenderaan penumpang (termasuk MPV dan SUV) pemasangan tempatan dan 50 peratus
pengecualian cukai jualan ke atas kenderaan penumpang import (CBU) sejak 15 Jun 2020 dan akan berakhir pada 30 Jun 2022. Setakat ini, sebanyak 868,422 unit kenderaan telah terjual dan rakyat telah mendapat manfaat pengecualian cukai jualan berjumlah RM4.7 bilion.
Dengan pembukaan sektor ekonomi, sektor automotif telah kembali beroperasi seperti sedia kala. Walau bagaimanapun terdapat sejumlah permintaan yang masih belum dapat dipenuhi ekoran gangguan kepada rantai bekalan global. Pada masa yang sama, seluruh dunia sedang menghadapi masalah kekurangan cip mikro semikonduktor yang digunakan secara meluas merentas beberapa industri termasuk industri automotif. Berikutan permasalahan ini, sebanyak 264,000 unit kenderaan yang ditempah di dalam tempoh pengecualian ini masih belum siap pemasangan dan tidak dapat dibekalkan kepada pembeli.
Sehubungan itu, bagi membolehkan pembeli yang membuat tempahan kenderaan sehingga 30 Jun 2022 terus menikmati insentif pengecualian cukai jualan ini, sukacita dimaklumkan bahawa tempoh pendaftaran kenderaan tersebut di Jabatan Pengangkutan Jalan (JPJ) kini dilanjutkan sehingga 31 Mac 2023.
Lanjutan tempoh pendaftaran kenderaan ini merupakan satu penyelesaian titik tengah (midpoint solution) bagi mengimbangi kepentingan pengguna dan hasil cukai negara yang perlu ditingkatkan semula pasca-pandemik bagi memastikan kebajikan rakyat dan kesejahteraan ekonomi negara terus terpelihara.
