KUALA LUMPUR: The Sarawak Shipping Association (SSA) has called for an exemption from the Sales and Services Tax (SST) within Sarawak.

In a statement today, the association said that shipping freight between East and West Malaysia was previously exempted following significant requests from several trade bodies in West Malaysia.

"But they forgot about SST on shipping freight for movement within Sarawak. Actually ship-owners are just assisting the government to collect the tax, end-users and final consumers are the parties who are actually paying.

"We regret that authorities concerned still have not conducted sufficient out-reach programme (though we had always stressed) before implementing new rules and procedures which resulted in confusion and dissatisfaction," it said.

The SSA also stated that new front counter officers often introduce their own procedures or interpretations of existing rules and regulations, and enforce them immediately without prior notice.

"Recent incidents such as the weight issues on K3 - disparity of opinions by Customs Front Counter Officers at Kucing and Port Klang for declaring weight of empty containers, though finally resolved with much deliberation with parties concerned, " it noted.

https://www.nst.com.my/business/economy/2024/07/1080960/sarawak-shipping-association-calls-exemption-sst-freight-charges