Malaysians who enter Singapore 8 times or more monthly are not eligible for financial aid but may file appeals

KUALA LUMPUR: In a Facebook post on Sunday (January 25) Malaysia’s Deputy Finance Minister Liew Chin Tong said that individuals who travel to Singapore frequently are considered to be working in the city-state and may not qualify for Sumbangan Tunai Rahmah (STR).

This is the cash aid that is meant for Malaysian citizens, specifically those who live in the country.

In his post, Mr Liew explained that he had been asked by acquaintances in Johor Bahru if Malaysians who travel in and out of Singapore are entitled to STR.

He noted that because the Malaysian government is responsible for all, including taxpayers, it needs to ensure that STR will go to individuals who genuinely need it.

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“Only citizens who meet the set eligibility criteria, including living in Malaysia, are entitled to receive assistance,” wrote Mr Liew, adding that the channelling of the aid is operated by the Board of Internal Revenue Malaysia (LHDN). It takes travel frequency into consideration, which is its way of ensuring a fair distribution of funds.

Therefore, Malaysians who travel frequently in and out of Singapore may have their applications for STR disapproved when they or their spouse lives, works, or studies abroad.

“Malaysians who leave and enter Singapore 8 times or more every month are interpreted as working abroad, assuming that the individual is commuting every week,” wrote Mr Liew.

In order to distinguish those who go abroad for temporary reasons and those who live or work there, LHDN’s approach is as follows. Travelling between one and seven times a month is considered normal and reasonable, as people may go for medical treatment, emergencies, short-term assignments or family matters.

Travelling in and out of Malaysia eight or more times monthly is interpreted as a significant period of staying overseas, he added.

Nevertheless, it does not mean that just because a person’s application was not approved, that it is the end of the matter, with Mr Liew saying that such individuals who are affected by the ruling concerning travel frequency should file an appeal. They may do so throughout the year.

“For example, there are Malaysian citizens who have to go out and come to Singapore regularly because he works as a driver for a local logistics company,” he wrote. /TISG

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