Oil companies paid over RM1.5 bil in sales tax to Sabah: assistant minister

KOTA KINABALU – Oil companies have paid Sabah RM1.562 billion in sales tax for petroleum-based products between April 2020 to November 28 this year.

The total collected is a tad higher than the RM1.25 billion projected for 2021 under the state’s original estimate.

The figure was revised higher to RM1.4 billion this year after a surge in global oil prices, said Sabah Assistant Minister in the Chief Minister’s Department Jasni Daya (Pantai Dalit-Umno).

“In 2021, the total collection of sales tax stood at RM1.385 billion or 98.9% from the revision of sales tax figures,” he said during the question-and-answer session at the state assembly, today.

Responding to a question posed by assemblyman Phoong Jin Zhe (Luyang-DAP) on why the state government reduced the allocations for pertinent ministries under its Budget 2022, Sabah Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor (Sulaman-Bersatu) said the measures were made in the name of financial prudence, saying that the government is already spending beyond its means.

“The allocations were decided following meetings done between the finance ministries and other ministries at the official level.

“The amount of allocations were made based on the needs. This had always been the practice. 

“But the government wants to spend prudently based on our financial capabilities,” he said, adding that he is aware the state requires a huge amount of funds while maintaining that allocations would be made on a case-by-case basis based on needs.

Hajiji said the state government does not plan to reduce the sales tax on palm oil and petroleum products.

Answering another question posed by Datuk Seri Mohd Shafie Apdal (Senallang-Warisan), Hajiji revealed the breakdown of the overall collection of the sales tax:

Petronas Carigali – RM444.5 million

Petronas – RM429.9 million

ConocoPhillips – RM212.8 million

Shell – RM210.7 million

PTTEP Sabah Oil – RM76 million

Petronas LNG – RM63.6 million

Petronas LNG2 – RM55.6 million

Repsol – RM31.3 million

Pertamina – RM28.9 million

ConocoPhillips Gas – RM7.7 million

PNP Malaysia Venture – RM460,000 

However, Hajiji said he does not have the data on how much sales tax had been collected for petroleum products from retailers. – The Vibes, December 7, 2021.