THE Inland Revenue Board (IRB) will focus on a series of key initiatives in 2025, including the implementation of e-invoicing, expanding the tax base, and enhancing enforcement activities, CEO Datuk Dr. Abu Tariq Jamaluddin said today.
Speaking at IRB’s 29th anniversary celebration during the 29th HASiL Day event, launched by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, Dr. Abu Tariq outlined the agency’s plans to strengthen Malaysia's tax system and support its economic growth.
He stressed on the importance of expanding the tax base and improving tax corporate governance, alongside implementing self-assessment systems for stamp duty, real property gains tax, and the Labuan business activity tax.
“We have developed various strategies and initiatives to ensure the success of these efforts, and we are working closely with relevant agencies to achieve these goals,” Dr. Abu Tariq said.
The CEO also introduced Tekad HASiL 2026 – 2030, a new framework that outlines the top administration's commitment to ensuring that IRB remains effective and relevant in driving the nation’s economic growth over the next five years.
Over the past three decades, IRB has transformed significantly, earning recognition not only as the country’s direct tax collection agency but also for its crucial role in assisting over eight million Malaysians who are eligible for various government aid programmes.
Dr. Abu Tariq highlighted IRB's impressive performance in 2024, where it audited and investigated 70,702 cases across various industries, resulting in additional tax assessments amounting to nearly RM5.5 billion.
In 2024, Malaysia’s direct tax collection reached RM184.805 billion, a rise of RM1.465 billion compared to RM183.34 billion in 2023.
“2024 marked a historic milestone with the launch of e-invoicing. The development of this system, which allowed phase one taxpayers to use it in under a year, is an extraordinary achievement that has become a benchmark for other countries,” he said.
IRB also played a pivotal role in the government’s cash assistance programmes, processing applications for 8,685,024 recipients with an allocation of RM6.77 billion in 2024.
“We are committed to assisting this large group of people, ensuring that they too benefit from the tax revenue generated by the nation’s prosperity,” Dr. Abu Tariq added. – March 10, 2025
