Goods and Services Tax issues perceived by businesses in Malaysia

Very little is known about Small and Medium size enterprises(SMEs )concerns and issues for the implementation of the Goods and Services Tax (GST) in Malaysia in April 2015. Though the private sector and the Government of Malaysia conducted GST information sessions and seminars but very little research has been published on the "real issues"faced by SMEs. This study attempts to fill the gap to examine some of the major issues and concerns of SMEs. A postal survey was conducted and 426 responded representing a response rate of 28%.The survey results indicated that SMEs are overall poorly prepared for the implementation. Only 9% of respondents claimed to be substantially ready. With respect to computer system readiness, only 22% of the respondents perceived to be ready. Over 74% of respondents felt the GST would place an additional compliance burden. A number of measures are suggested to alleviate compliance issues including financial and non-financial aid. This book aims to meet the needs of students pursuing business/ taxation disciplines at Universities, to understand GST structure and design and implementation issues in a developing country.