Wee: Government May Extend SST Exemption For New Vehicles

The government may extend the sales tax exemption (SST) for new vehicles to help the automotive industry, which faced many challenges during the lockdown, said Datuk Seri Wee Ka Siong as reported by The Star.

In what might be the fourth SST exemption period extension, this time the government of Malaysia is mulling extending it beyond the current deadline of June 30, 2022. 

SST exemption period to be extended?

“The government is currently considering the proposal to extend the SST exemption, and a decision will be announced soon,” Wee said in a recorded statement at the Federation of Motor and Credit Companies Associations of Malaysia (FMCCAM) annual general meeting.

The Malaysian Automotive Association (MAA) has also been unrelenting in its requests to the Finance Ministry to extend the SST exemption period but to the best of this publication's knowledge has yet to get a response from MOF. 

The SST exemption scheme which was first launched under the Penjana stimulus package has been extended three times already with the most current one supposed to expire at the end of June 2022.

 “We welcome initiatives that will help economic recovery, and we will look into the matter to see if the Transport Ministry can help facilitate this proposal.“ Wee added. 

Will the SST exemption be extended, or will it remain? If it is extended until December 2020 then one winner will certainly be the 2022 Perodua Alza that is scheduled for a July 2022 launch. 

Bear in mind though that Finance Minister Tengku Datuk Seri Zafrul Abdul Aziz has more than once reiterated that the SST exemption period will no longer be extended. Hmm...