skylin3lov3r,
Yo, I heard ar... that now if we buy PC, we can get up to RM3000 off income tax or something la. Last I heard, is RM500 only. But I read somewhere. Here it is...
Extracted from The Star online.
Saturday September 2, 2006
RM3,000 tax relief for PC purchase every three years
BUY a personal computer now and you get income tax relief amounting to RM3,000. You are eligible to claim this relief every three years.
In the past, you received a RM500 tax rebate and were eligible for this claim every five years.
The move is aimed at increasing the personal computer penetration rate in the nation. According to statistics recorded last year, 21 out of every 100 people had a computer at home. It has been reported that the Government wants to raise the penetration rate to 40% by 2010.
Broadband penetration is quoted at 1.9 per 100 people.
According to the Government, these rates are significantly lower than those in developed countries.
In a bid to narrow the digital divide between rural and urban populations, the Government is expanding the scope of the Universal Service Provision (USP) Fund.
The fund receives contributions from telecommunications companies and is usually used to develop basic telephony services and Internet infrastructure, as well as bring information communications technology to rural areas.
It will now also be used to introduce broadband infrastructure to villages and smaller towns.
The Association of the Computer and Multimedia Industry of Malaysia (Pikom) expressed disappointment over the change of incentive mechanism from a tax rebate of RM500 to a tax relief of up to RM3,000 as it would only benefit those with a taxable income of RM53,000 and above.
“For example, a person with a taxable income of RM23,000 who buys a PC costing RM3,000 would be paying an income tax of RM185 after the RM500 rebate.
“However, under the new PC tax relief, he would end up paying RM475. The tax would be higher if the PC cost is less than RM3,000,” said Pikom chairman Lee Boon Kok.
“This is not in line with the inspiration to increase the PC penetration rate, particularly among the lower income group,” he added.
However, the association welcomed the move to shorten the period of tax incentive claim on personal computer purchases from five to three years.
Lee said the proposed move to expand the scope of the USP fund to include development of broadband infrastructure as well was also welcome as it would help reduce the urban-rural digital divide.
