PETALING JAYA: Business groups and individuals who have tested the Inland Revenue Board’s (LHDN) new online stamp duty system say while the MyTax Portal is generally easy to use, uncertainty over self-calculating stamp duty has raised concerns about potential penalties.
Senior lawyer Datuk Joy Wilson Appukuttan highlighted that the issue is not with the self-assessment process but the potential penalties if errors occur.
Joy pointed out that certain transactions, such as transfers of property for “love and affection,” carry no monetary value, which requires parties to engage independent valuers.
“The issue is not about the self assessment but the penalties if there are mistakes and errors. Transfer of property for love and affection has no monetary value. Hence it entails parties to engage a valuer at an additional cost. Even if the independent valuer has provided his value, LHDN may have its own value, hence the dilemma,” he added.
SME Association of Malaysia president Chin Chee Seong echoed the call for clearer engagement to ensure better understanding on how to use the system.
“The government should at least engage with industry first, explain how the system works and provide a proper time frame.
“The SMEs are already burdened with issues so we can be better by having clearer discussions with the government. It can be easier for us to understand how the system works when there is a guideline,” he said.
Sales associate Alia Faradila Mat Zin said activating her MyTax ID and uploading documents was straightforward, but determining the correct stamp duty payable was unclear.
“The instructions explain the process, but they don’t always make it clear which rate applies to specific agreements, so I wasn’t fully confident I got it right.”
She added that the responsibility placed on users could pose risks for those unfamiliar with tax procedures.
“When penalties are involved, that uncertainty can be worrying,” she said.
Graphic designer Zurina Abdul Halim described the experience as smooth, with no technical issues during submission or payment.
“Payment was quick, but I had to double-check the stamp duty rate using external sources because the portal doesn’t automatically calculate it,” she said.
Despite the efficiency of the digital process, Zurina said first-time users may be vulnerable to making mistakes.
“If you’re not familiar with stamp duty rules, it’s easy to worry about underpaying and being penalised later,” she said.
