Malaysian businesses complain of delay in getting GST refunds

Kuala Lumpur

SOME three months after the start of Malaysia's 6 per cent Goods & Services Tax (GST), businesses say they are finding the going tough, hemmed in as they are by a delay in getting their GST refunds as well as by sales that have slipped as a result of the shrinking ringgit and the new consumption tax.

Tax experts say exporters are particularly hit by the delay because they pay the tax on their inputs - that is, their capital goods, raw materials, spare parts and services - upfront.

The tax specialists also note that Malaysia's customs department has taken a cautious approach to giving out refunds, especially those involving larger amou…