Latest news with #RoyalMalaysianCustomsDepartment
The Sun
15-07-2025
- The Sun
Sarawak customs seize RM1 mln Doraemon-shaped ecstasy pills
KUCHING: The Royal Malaysian Customs Department in Sarawak successfully intercepted a drug smuggling attempt involving ecstasy pills shaped like the popular cartoon character Doraemon. The pills, worth RM1 million, were concealed inside Vitamin C bottles. Sarawak Customs director Norizan Yahya stated that the operation led to the seizure of 5.23 kilogrammes of the illegal substance during an inspection at a courier company in Sibu on June 20. Surveillance conducted over three days showed no one came forward to claim the suspicious package. Further examination revealed 12 plastic bottles labelled as 'Vitamin C 1000 tablets' containing aluminium packets filled with the Doraemon-shaped pills. The drugs, believed to be ecstasy, were smuggled via air courier from Peninsular Malaysia. The case is being investigated under Section 39B of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952, which carries severe penalties, including the death sentence or life imprisonment with a minimum of 15 strokes of the cane. – Bernama
Borneo Post
15-07-2025
- Borneo Post
Customs foils RM1 mln Ecstasy smuggling attempt in Sibu
The suspected MDMA pills inside the vitamin containers. SIBU (July 15): The Royal Malaysian Customs Department has foiled an attempt to smuggle 5.23 kilograms of Ecstasy (MDMA) pills into Sibu, with an estimated street value of RM1.002 million. Sarawak Customs director Norizan Yahya said the seizure followed surveillance by the department's Narcotics Unit on an unclaimed parcel at a local courier company. 'On June 20, at approximately 12.10pm, our officers inspected a suspicious parcel that had remained unclaimed for three days. 'Upon thorough examination, they discovered 12 plastic containers labeled 'Vitamin C 1000 tablets',' he said in a statement today. A thorough inspection revealed 12 plastic containers labelled 'Vitamin C 1000 tablets'. Inside each were aluminum packets filled with pills shaped like a popular Japanese cartoon character, believed to be MDMA. Norizan said the synthetic drug is listed as a dangerous substance under Part I, First Schedule of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952. Initial investigations suggest the drugs were smuggled via courier from Peninsular Malaysia to Sarawak, concealed in vitamin supplement containers and transported by air. The case is being investigated under Section 39B of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952, which carries the mandatory death penalty or life imprisonment, plus at least 15 strokes of the cane upon conviction. Norizan also urged the public to support ongoing efforts to curb smuggling of contraband, including cigarettes, alcohol, fireworks, drugs, and vehicles. 'Smuggling not only results in revenue losses for the country but also poses a threat to national security and public well-being,' he said. He called on the public to report any smuggling activity via the Customs toll-free hotline at 1-800-88-8855 or by contacting the nearest Customs office. Informant identities will be kept strictly confidential. Customs Department Ecstacy mdma Sibu smuggle
The Star
02-07-2025
- The Star
Penang Customs raids yield RM2.67mil in ciggies, alcohol
BUTTERWORTH: Separate raids in Penang have foiled smuggling activities involving some RM2.67mil in cigarettes and alcoholic beverages, the Royal Malaysian Customs Department announces. The state Customs director Rohaizad Ali said in the first raid on May 6, enforcement officers conducted a check on a lorry that was parked at a housing area in Bukit Mertajam. "Inspection found 1,320,8000 sticks of kretek (clove cigarettes) and white cigarettes of various brands in the lorry's cargo compartment," he told a press conference at the Bagan Jermal enforcement storage facility on Wednesday (July 2). Rohaizad said the value of the seized contraband is worth RM431,504, with a duty amount of RM1,346,382.40. He said the lorry driver and co-driver aged in their 20s and 30s were arrested during the raid, adding that investigations found that the contraband items were smuggled in from a neighbouring country. Rohaizad said the case is being investigated under Section 135(1)(d) of the Customs Act 1967, which carries a fine between RM100,000 and RM500,000, imprisonment of six months to five years, or both, upon conviction. In a second raid on May 9, customs enforcement officers raided an empty house in Butterworth, where they found various brands of alcoholic beverages. He said the contraband items that were seized are 15,288 cans of beer and 13,820 bottles of liquor. He said the seized item was worth about RM236,737.20, with unpaid duties amounting to RM663,027.03. "We have identified the owner of the house, who informed us that it had been rented out," he said. Rohaizad added that investigations are still ongoing, and efforts are underway to trace the individual who rented the property. He said the case is being investigated under Section 135(1)(d) of the Customs Act 1967, which carries a fine between RM100,000 and RM500,000, imprisonment of six months to five years, or both, upon conviction. "Customs urges the public to help combat smuggling by providing information regarding any smuggling activities," he said.
Straits Times
27-06-2025
- Business
- Straits Times
Malaysia to exempt beauty services from expanded sales tax after public feedback
Services such as manicures, pedicures, facials, and haircuts will remain exempt under the revised tax regime. ST PHOTO: KUA CHEE SIONG PETALING JAYA: The Malaysian government will not proceed with the proposed inclusion of beauty services under the expanded sales and service tax (SST), following public concern and feedback from industry players. The finance ministry said the decision was made by Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, who also holds the finance portfolio, after taking into account widespread sentiment ahead of the SST expansion taking effect on July 1. This means services such as manicures, pedicures, facials, and haircuts will remain exempt under the revised tax regime. The exemption is one of several adjustments announced by the finance ministry as part of efforts to fine tune the tax structure and cushion its impact on the public and small businesses. The government 'remains committed to ensuring that the SST revision is progressive and mitigates the impact on basic consumption items by the rakyat (people) and the impact on small businesses', the ministry said in a statement on June 27. The revisions follow widespread feedback from both the public and industry groups. Hairdressers and beauty salon operators had voiced concern that taxing services like haircuts and facials would unfairly burden small businesses and lower-income consumers, with objections raised earlier in June. In a broader move to manage cost-of-living pressures, the government will also exempt selected imported fruits – apples, oranges, mandarin oranges and dates – from the sales tax. The ministry reaffirmed that essential food items such as rice, chicken, beef, vegetables, eggs, and various local fish – including selar (yellowtail scad), tongkol (longtail tuna) and cencaru (torpedo scad) – whether fresh, chilled or frozen, remain exempt from the tax. These fish are staple protein sources for many households due to their affordability and accessibility. To reduce the burden on small businesses, the annual sales threshold for mandatory service tax registration has been raised from RM500,000 (S$150,800) to one million ringgit for leasing, rental, and financial services. This means only companies generating over one million ringgit in yearly sales from such services will be required to charge the 8 per cent tax. For financial services, the tax applies specifically to fee or commission-based activities. The ministry also reminded the public and stakeholders to refer only to verified information on the SST rollout, including official announcements, guidelines, FAQs and subsidiary legislation available through the finance ministry and Royal Malaysian Customs Department websites. The expanded SST will come into effect on July 1, 2025. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
The Star
27-06-2025
- Business
- The Star
Beauty services exempted as govt fine-tunes SST rollout
PETALING JAYA: The government will not proceed with the proposed inclusion of beauty services under the expanded Sales and Service Tax (SST), following public concern and feedback from industry players. The Finance Ministry said the decision was made by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, who also holds the finance portfolio, after taking into account widespread sentiment ahead of the SST expansion taking effect on July 1. This means services such as manicures, pedicures, facials, and haircuts will remain exempt under the revised tax regime. The exemption is one of several adjustments announced by the Finance Ministry as part of efforts to fine-tune the tax structure and cushion its impact on the public and small businesses. 'The Madani government remains committed to ensuring that the SST revision is progressive and mitigates the impact on basic consumption items by the rakyat and the impact on small businesses,' the ministry said in a statement Friday (June 27). The revisions follow widespread feedback from both the public and industry groups. Hairdressers and beauty salon operators had voiced concern that taxing services like haircuts and facials would unfairly burden small businesses and lower-income consumers, with objections raised earlier this month. In a broader move to manage cost-of-living pressures, the government will also exempt selected imported fruits — apples, oranges, mandarin oranges and dates — from the Sales Tax. The ministry reaffirmed that essential food items such as rice, chicken, beef, vegetables, eggs, and various local fish — including selar (yellowtail scad), tongkol (longtail tuna) and cencaru (torpedo scad) — whether fresh, chilled or frozen, remain exempt from the tax. These fish are staple protein sources for many households due to their affordability and accessibility. To reduce the burden on small businesses, the annual sales threshold for mandatory Service Tax registration has been raised from RM500,000 to RM1mil for leasing, rental, and financial services. This means only companies generating over RM1mil in yearly sales from such services will be required to charge the 8% tax. For financial services, the tax applies specifically to fee- or commission-based activities. The ministry also reminded the public and stakeholders to refer only to verified information on the SST rollout, including official announcements, guidelines, FAQs and subsidiary legislation available through the Finance Ministry and Royal Malaysian Customs Department websites. Further enquiries can be directed to the Customs Department SST Call Centre at 1-300-888-500 or through the dedicated hotline numbers. The expanded SST will come into effect on July 1, 2025.
