Malaysia picks ‘tax’ as Chinese Character of the Year amid public tax concerns

SHAH ALAM: Malaysia has named “tax” (shui) as its Chinese Character of the Year, reflecting how taxation policies continue to affect people from all walks of life, according to Han Culture Centre Malaysia president Datuk Goh Hin San, the New Straits Times reported, citing China Press.

“Tax” had been in the top 10 list for six years, between 2014 and 2019, after the Goods and Services Tax (GST) was introduced. It dropped out of the list for five years before returning this year.

Other characters that made the top 10 this year were “aid” (yuan), “alcohol” (jiu), “alliance” (meng), “bully” (ba), “flag” (qi), “fraud” (zha), “oil” (you), “quake” (zhen), and “school” (xiao).

According to The Star, Mr Goh said the character was chosen due to several reasons, including policy changes that continue to affect the public, alongside public concerns over slow tax refunds and calls for the federal government to address Sabah’s 40% tax revenue claim under the Malaysia Agreement 1963.

Meanwhile, jury member Datuk Koong Lin Loong said in an analysis report that the return of “tax” in the 15th edition of Malaysia’s Chinese Character of the Year was linked to US tariff policies, Sales and Services Tax (SST) expansion, e-invoicing measures, corporate tax refunds, stamp duty issues, and Sabah’s tax revenue.

Mr Koong said public attention often centred on income tax, while the impact of other taxes, such as import duties and the SST, was frequently overlooked. He urged the government to consult stakeholders before rolling out tax reforms to avoid public backlash and support balanced economic growth. /TISG

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