MELAKA: The Royal Customs and Excise Department will be ready in terms of manpower, information technology and infrastructure to
implement the Goods and Services Tax (GST) in April 2015, its director-general, Datuk Seri Khazali Ahmad, said today.

He said all officers had been trained and given the necessary exposure and training on the GST and its implementation over the last few years.

"We have 17 more months to go, which is a long time for us to explain not only to our officers but also to the people that this new system is not something disadvantageous," he said.

Khazali spoke at a news conference after a special gathering with the Customs director-general in conjunction with the 50th anniversary of the bestowing of the royal title, here.

Also present were the Customs deputy director-general (enforcement and compliance) Datuk Matrang Suhaili and Customs deputy director-general (enforcement) Datuk Zainul Abidin Taib. A plaque was presented to every state Customs director.

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak, when tabling Budget 2014 in the Dewan Rakyat last Friday, announced the implementation of a six per cent GST on April 1, 2015, that will replace the sales and service taxes amounting to 16 per cent.

Khazali said the GST computerisation system to be used by the Customs Department was almost ready.

He also said that the department was working on integrating the system with appointed banks and banking agents to assist in the effective implementation of the GST.

The Customs Department and the Finance Ministry would organise more workshops, seminars, courses and briefing sessions to explain the GST and its implementation.

Khazali advised the people against being overly concerned about the implementation of the GST, saying the government had taken the necessary measures to ensure that it did not burden them.

He said people in the middle-income category would enjoy a reduction in income tax of between one and two per cent when the GST was introduced.-- Bernama