Some basic tips will help greenhorns filing their taxes
PETALING JAYA: For many young Malaysians, filing income tax for the first time is less about crunching numbers and more about navigating confusion, uncertainty and the fear of getting it wrong.
Marketing executive Nurul Afiqah Rahman, 25, said she only realised she is required to file her taxes after a colleague casually mentioned the April 30 deadline for individuals.
“I honestly wasn’t sure if my income even met the threshold. Nobody walks you through this when you start your first job.
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“You heard people talking about LHDN and suddenly panic, wondering if you were supposed to do something,” she added.
Nurul Afiqah, who filed her tax yesterday, said the most confusing part was understanding tax reliefs and deductions.
“There are so many categories, lifestyle, medical, insurance and education. I was not really sure what I qualified for. I was so scared of claiming the wrong thing and getting into trouble,” she said.
Software engineer Muhammad Izzat Hakimi, 27, described his first filing experience as “stressful but necessary”.
“The system itself isn’t that complicated, but if you don’t understand the terms, it becomes overwhelming.
“You keep thinking, what if I declare something wrongly? What if I miss something important?” he said.
Izzat said many of his friends assumed they did not need to go through the process because income tax was automatically deducted from their monthly salaries.
He suggests that basic tax education be introduced for undergraduates so they would not feel completely lost upon entering the workforce.
Despite the initial anxiety, he said filing income tax for the first time marked an important milestone.
“It’s intimidating at first. But once you’ve done it, you realise it’s part of becoming an adult. You just wish someone had explained it earlier,” he said.
For accountant-in-training S. Kavinesh, 24, the process was smoother due to his background in finance, but he noticed awareness gaps remain common among peers.
“Even among degree holders, many are unclear about the income threshold or what allowances need to be declared.
“Some don’t know that freelance income or side income must also be reported,” he said.
Kavinesh said filing his first tax return changed how he manages his finances.
“Now I keep my receipts and track my expenses throughout the year.
“It forces you to be more organised and financially responsible,” he said.
