How I Finally Got My Income Tax Refunds In Malaysia

By Elin Chow - Friday, July 08, 2016


I finally got my Income Tax Refunds for year 2014 and 2015 from the Inland Revenue Board Malaysia (IRBM), also known as Lembaga Hasil Dalam Negeri (LHDN) last week, and I am excited to share my experiences on how I managed to get my excess tax payments refunded to me. Hopefully this will be useful to those who are in the same situation as me.

Please note that all the information that I have shared in this post are solely based on my personal experience and are subject to change in accordance with any amendments to any rules and regulations made by IRBM. Although I am not a tax expert, I will still do my best to help as much as I could.

Determining The Tax Resident Status

In Malaysia, an individual's tax liability is determined by his tax resident status. The tax residence status is determined by the physical presence of an individual in Malaysia and not by his nationality or citizenship. As such, please note that the citizens of Malaysia are not automatically tax resident. The following rules governing the determination of tax residence of an individual will still apply even when you are a citizen of Malaysia.

In general, an individual is not considered a non-tax resident if his duration of stay in Malaysia is not more than 182 days in the calendar year. As a non-tax resident, he will be taxed at a flat rate of 26% (reduced to 25% for assessment year of 2015 onward) and will not enjoy any tax incentives and rebates offered by the government.

Tax-residents, on the other hand, are taxed at a lower rate of 0% to 26% and are able to enjoy various tax incentives that will reduce their net taxable income considerably. Generally, the question of determining an individual's tax status would not arise if he has resided in Malaysia permanently.

Filing My Income Tax Returns Form

I moved to Malaysia in September 2013, where I managed to secure my first employment in December 2013. Having only been in Malaysia for 3 months (which was less than 182 days), I was taxed at a flat rate of 26% and was unable enjoy any tax incentives and rebates.

I only became a tax resident in April 2014 after I continuously stayed in Malaysia for more than 182 days. Before April 2014, I was paying 26% of my monthly income to income tax. The amount of tax is automatically deducted from my monthly income through the Potongan Cukai Berjadual (PCB), also known as the Monthly Tax Deduction (MTD) system by my employer. The employer will then remit the sum deducted from my monthly income to Inland Revenue Board Malaysia (IRBM) the following month.

I am taxed at a lower resident rate of 0% to 26% only after I became a tax resident in April 2014. Becoming a tax resident has significantly reduced the amount of monthly tax deductions from my income. In year 2015, I received two EA forms from my employers (I worked in two different companies in year 2014). From the EA forms that I have received from my employers, I added up my total amount of income in year 2014 and filed my Income Tax Returns via the e-filing system in April 2015. You may want to check up my How To Do E-Filling For Income Tax Returns In Malaysia blog post if you do not how to file your Income Tax Returns in Malaysia.

Although taxpayers who are subjected to MTD are not required to file their Income Tax Returns Form (ITRF) if such monthly tax deductions constitute their final tax, it is recommended for them to still file their tax if they would like to reduce their taxable income through various tax reliefs and rebates. Usually, you will find that you have actually overpaid their taxes after taking in all the incentives and rebates offered by the government.

Do not worry if you have paid your income tax payment in excess via the MTD as the excess amount will be reimbursed to you via the bank account details you have provided in the Income Tax Returns Form. Although it can be a very difficult and tedious process, this is the only way where you can get your excess tax payments back.

Being a tax resident, I am able to enjoy tax incentives including personal and family rebates. After taking advantage of all the deductions that are available to me, I am expected to get a significant amount of my tax payments back for the year 2014. So I waited excitedly for my Tax Refund to be transferred to my bank account. However, I did not my Tax Returns within the stipulated 30-day time frame.

In May 2015, I received a letter from IRBM informing me that they will hold my 2014 Tax Refund for the time being. In addition to that, I was also asked to clarify whether my taxes are paid by my employer or me, and if I would like to have my Tax Returns back, I would have to contact IRBM.

I tried to call LHDN several times but could get through, so I gave up eventually and decided to see how things will go next year. Unfortunately, the same thing happens again this year 2016. I did not receive my excess tax payments for year 2015 after filing my tax in April 2016.

Tax Refunds

Most taxpayers should get their Tax Refunds credited directly into their bank account within 30 days after filing their income tax returns via e-filing. Please ensure that the bank account details provided in your Income Tax Returns are correct. Your name and identification number under the bank account should match with the records that are provided in the Income Tax Return Form.

For taxpayers who refused to disclose their bank account details to the IRBM, they will be reimbursed by cheques, which will soon be replaced by the Tax Refund Voucher System (BBBC).

The Tax Refund Voucher System was recently introduced by the IRBM to reduce cost incurred in issuing cheques. It is meant to be a faster, cheaper and more effective way to refund excess tax payments to taxpayers. Through the implementation of the Tax Refund Voucher System, IRBM hopes to reduce the number of individual tax payers who do not furnish bank account details and to address the cheating cases that have occurred.

Highly secured and protected by a bio metric system, the Tax Refund Voucher can only be cashed out at a CIMB branch or banked in a CIMB account. Please note that the Vouchers cannot be used to shop or exchange any goods or services.

Online Feedback Form

There is a possibility that IRBM might want to audit your tax returns if you have not received your Tax Refunds within 30 days. If you have not received your Tax Refunds and would like to enquire the status of it, you can either:

1. Forward your application to the Collection Unit of the branch where your tax file is located, or

2. Complete and submit via the Online Feedback Form, or

3.Call the IRBM toll free number 1800-88-5436

I tried to call IRBM toll free number several times in May 2015 and 2016, but could not get through. So, in June 2016, I decided to make use of the Online Feedback Form to inquire about the status of my Tax Refunds for year 2014 and 2015. I actually got know about this Online Feedback Form through a reader of mine. So thank you Patricia, for taking your time to update me with all the latest information.

For those who plan to make use of the Online Feedback Form, please ensure that the email address that you provided in the Form is correct. The IRBM customer service officers will reply your enquires through your registered email within 7 working days.

My Correspondence With IRBM Officers

I received a reply from an IRBM officer 5 working days after I submitted my enquiry via the Online Feedback Form requesting me to submit the following documents for my Tax Refunds.

For non-citizens claiming their Tax Refunds for the first time are required to submit the following documents to the respective IRBM branches in order to facilitate the refund process. You will need the assistance of your employer to prepare the following required documents.

1. Confirmation letter on whether Tax is borne by the employer or employee. IRBM has attached sample of the letter in the email. All I need to do is to send the file and ask my employers to fill it up before having the letter printed it out on a company letterhead for me.

2. EA forms for year 2014 and 2015

3. Monthly Tax Deduction Form (PCB) for year 2014 and 2015. A sample of PCB II form is attached in the email. Your employer should be able to fill this form up for you.

4. In & Out Schedule year 2014 and 2015. Attached in the email is a sample of the In & Out Schedule Form. It took me quite some time to fill this form up. I have to calculate both of the number of days I am in and out of Malaysia, and attach photocopies of my passport pages as supporting documents.

5. Confirmation on my refund payment mode

By Telegrapic Transfer (TT)

For those who prefer Telegrapic Transfer, you are required to provide the following information:

1. Bank's name
2. Bank account number
3. Bank's address
4. SWIFT code
5. Currency preferred
6. Bank account name (which should be the same as your passport name)
7. Passport number
8. Home address

Please attach copy of your bank's passbook or monthly statement as supporting documents.

By Cheque 

For those who prefer to receive a cheque (which will be replaced by Tax Refund Voucher), please provide mailing address. Please note that this option is only available within Malaysia.

By EFT 

For Direct Credit to your local bank account, please provide copy of your bank's passbook or bank statement as supporting documents.

Once you have the all required documents ready, you can submit them by:

1. Walking in to the IRBM branch where you tax file is located, or

2. Mail. Make sure you mail the documents to the correct branch and attention it to Unit Pungutan (Bayaran Balik) or the Collection Department.

IRBM will determine your resident status for the year after they received the following documents from you. Any Tax Refunds will only be processed after IRBM determined and confirmed your tax resident status for the calendar years.

Tips To Consider When Sending Your Documents To IRBM

Once I have all the required documents ready, I proceeded to courier them out to the stated address using Gdex Speed-DOC service. Besides the required documents requested by IRBM, I also attached the email correspondence between the IRBM officer and me and a cover letter stating the purpose of the documents. Although delivery cost is slightly more expensive than normal mail, the Gdex Speed-DOC service allowed me to trace and track the delivery status of the documents online via the GDex Online Tracking System.

I would not recommend sending your documents over to IRBM office by normal mail because you would not know whether it will be lost in transit. If you are sending the documents by mail, I would recommend you to send only photocopies of the documents. Make sure you keep the originals just in case the documents are lost somewhere in the process.

I would also recommend you to keep scanned copies of the documents that you submitted to the IRBM, whether by mail or walk in so that you can refer back to them any time you want.

Finally Got My Income Tax Refunds

I inquired about my Tax Refunds status via the Online Feedback Form again 2 weeks after the documents are delivered to the IRBM branch office. Please make sure that your documents has been delivered before sending in your enquiry. This is also why I actually recommended using the Gdex Speed-DOC service instead of normal mail.

Attached in my mail this time were the scanned copies of the documents that I have sent to IRBM branch office earlier on, Gdex delivery status, and  previous email correspondence with the IRBM officers. But this time, it only took the IRBM officers two days to reply my enquiry.

The IRBM officer informed me that my refund case has already been forwarded to the respective Tax Branch for processing. I may contact the officer (a name and phone number was provided) from that branch after 14 days to check on the progress on my refund case.

I planned to call the officer or apply leave from work and make a trip to IRBM branch office after Hari Raya period. But unexpectedly, I noticed that there was an additional sum of money transferred to bank account when I checked my online statement earlier this month. The money was from IRBM and I have finally gotten my Tax Refunds for year 2014 and 2015!

It seems that IRBM will not notify you when they will transfer the Tax Refunds to your bank account. I would suggest anyone to check their bank statement constantly for any additional credits to your account to avoid a wasted trip. It is very easy to identify the transaction in your bank statement, so you certainly do not have worry about anything.

I received an email just a few days later from IRBM notifying me that they have transferred my Tax Refunds into my bank account. The email is in Bahasa Malaysia, so I could not read much of it. But basically, this is just everything about it.

Record Keeping

For those of you who have received your Tax Refunds without any hiccups, please make sure you keep the following documents for at least seven years for any possible audit by IRBM. You will need to keep your:

1. EA Forms

2. Original receipts for any tax incentives and rebates

3. Any other supporting documents such as employment letters and contracts.

I am happy that I finally got my Tax Refunds for year 2014 and 2015. Well, who wouldn't be happy to get their money back. Hopefully, I will not encounter the same problems again next year.

Be sure to follow me on Facebook or Twitter  for any latest updates on my blog. So stay tuned!

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34 comments

  1. Great article, I just got mine recently too. Will be very helpful for the general public :)

    ReplyDelete
  2. Thanks for the valuable information. I have a query, If i become resident in year 2017 and then leave malaysia permanently in Aug 2017, can i still get my tax refund by applying online from India. And what could be the payment mode for same.

    Thanks in advance :)

    ReplyDelete
  3. Hi, a question here. Did you get any refund on the 26% paid when you are non-resident?
    The refund that you got in 2014 is the one after you got your resident status, is it?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yes. The 2014 refund I got in 2016 is the 26% non resident tax I paid previously. You can only get this back after you become a tax resident.

      Delete
  4. HI Elin, may I know which item to choose in http://maklumbalas.hasil.gov.my/ regarding tax return? is it "Bayaran Balik Cukai" ? Thanks in advance

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yes, I chose Bayaran Balik Cukai. There is an English version as well.

      Delete
  5. Hello elin, would be a great help if you could help me here :) I am from India got a full time job in Malaysia for 9000 my start date is 1 April 2017, could you tell me how much tax would i have to pay on Monthly basis , if i would be taxed how much can i get a refund ? please please please help me Thank you in Advance :D

    ReplyDelete
  6. Can I ask a question? I got my tax residence status for 2016 and I've also linked my 2016 to 2017, do I have to stay in Malaysia for 182 days in 2017 so as to get my tax residence status for 2017?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yes, you will need to stay in Malaysia for 182 days in 2017 in order to be considered a tax resident for 2017

      Delete
  7. Hi Elin,

    I think you replied to my question. I am a foreigner working in Malaysia

    Can I ask a question? I got my tax residence status for 2016 and I've also linked my 2016 to 2017, do I have to stay in Malaysia for 182 days in 2017 so as to get my tax residence status for 2017?

    Do take note before I started working for my new company I had went to Hasil to take my tax clearance from them which was needed by new company as a requirement

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi,

      Yes you will need to stay in Malaysia for 182 days in 2017 in order to become tax resident for 2017

      Delete
  8. Hi Elin,
    Im foreigner started working in malaysia november 2016, then file tax refund this april 2017. I'm going back home this May 2017 for good. Is my tax refund will be credited on my account still?

    Thanks.
    John

    ReplyDelete
  9. Hello, Let me explain my situation very clearly to you. I will join a position in Malaysia in August 01, 2017 with MYR 6600 per month Gross. As I understood, I have to pay taxes of 28% for the first 6 months. Now, my question is: Can I get this 28% non-resident tax back to my bank account once I get tax resident status in 2018?

    Thank you very much for your reply.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi, when will you start staying in Malaysia?

      Delete
  10. I have filed my e-Filing on 2nd March, and until now, no cent is arrived to my bank account. I have tried to contact via email and phone, with no response. What a disappointing service as a governmental body. Usually, at most, how long will it be refunded? 1 year after the filing?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Did you use the online feedback form that I shared in this post? If yes, LHDN should reply you within 7 working days. After you submitted all the documents requested by them, you should get your refund in 1 to 2 months

      Delete
    2. I have done all I can do, from sending Maklumbalas, send an email, call to the Toll-Free, call to the branch office, and etc. However, it does not seem to work, although there was once Toll-free finally picked-up my call, but until now there is no progress. If we submitted our Tax Filing via eFiling, we should have received much much earlier than we expected. If eFiling is not useful for faster rebate, then launching this for what? This organisation is irresponsible and unreliable. They are asking for paying tax like ah long, but refund us the rebate like tortoise. Is it fair?

      Delete
    3. Sad to hear that from you. I know how frustrating that feels. But I have been using the feedback from for 2 years, and every time, I will get very prompt reply from LHDN. There is no such thing as fair or not fair. After all, this is Malaysia.

      Delete
  11. hi guys, i have a similar doubt. My joining date is 7th august, and i have a salary of 11000 per month. I have to pay taxes of 28% for the first 6 months. Can I get this 28% non-resident tax back to my bank account once I get tax resident status in 2018?

    ReplyDelete
  12. Hi Elin,

    Thanks for the info. I started working October 2016 to date and should be resident by now for 2017. Am i considered resident for 2016 as well (continuous stay from last year). Can I request refund for the 28% non resident tax borne by employer for 2016.

    Much appreciated

    ReplyDelete
  13. I have a similar problem. I file my taxes by mid April 2017, got my clearance letter a week later and received a refund suspension letter the next week. I used the feedback form and received a feedback that requested me to submit additional documents which I did promptly but to this date, I am yet to receive a dime of my refund. Several attempts to call the Cheras office where I have submitted the documents have proved to be abortive. All calls to extensions of the officers supposedly to assist in this regard have gone unanswered.
    It's really sad that internationals would have to go through this ordeal to get their monies refunded to them. One troubling thing about Malaysians, they don't care so far as it is not affecting them. With the flooding of complaints from internationals on this issue, one would expect an effort from the government doing something to correct this anomaly or the media carrying this but you're not going to see any.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. You can try using the online feedback form to contact LHDN to ask about your refund status. Do not call, because there will be no one to pick up. I got my refund successfully this year after I got them last year.

      Delete
  14. Hi, I filed my income tax in April and according to that I was required to pay RM 25 which I paid through the bank....but in July I got an email from LHDN saying that i have paid access tax and a good lum sum amount to my bank account....does this usually happen...also should i collect my revised BE form from the income tax office?

    ReplyDelete
  15. Hi Elin,

    I have been a resident in Malaysia since August 2015. I havee just recently switched jobs and have started work from August 14, 2017. My last day with the previous company was on August 04, 2017.

    Which means that I have been a tax resident in Malaysia for more than 200 days in 2017 alone. Will I be taxed as normal or will the flat rate apply to me as well.

    Best regards
    Deepak

    ReplyDelete
  16. Thanks! This is very helpful most especially the one where you have mentioned about how to inquire about the tax refund.

    ReplyDelete
  17. do we have any tracking url after filling the tax.

    ReplyDelete
  18. Hi Elin!! First of all thanks a lot for sharing your experience in the blog.

    I joined in a company in malaysia on 7-August-2017 and I'm very anxious about this 28% flat tax rate..
    as of now my employer deducted normal resident tax rate only, by this Feb-2018 itself, I have crossed
    182 days so will i be considered as a resident and shall i have to e-file it as resident or still
    i have to e-file it as non-resident only? suppose, in case if I file it as non resident, do i need to pay
    full 28%tax now and have to claim it next year april or once i complete 182 days this year(that is by july-2018)??

    Please clarify my above query..


    Thanks & Regards,
    Saibalaji.

    ReplyDelete
  19. Can someone please confirm if there is any chance of refund of tax paid if we leave Malaysia within 3 months ? Thanks!

    ReplyDelete
  20. THANKS for the information sharing.it helps a lot.

    ReplyDelete
  21. Hi, please suggest me on how to get the tax returns. I came to Malaysia on September 2019. Paid 28% tax till December. However I lost my job in March 2020 got another offer in April 2020. From January to June I was again deducted 30% tax. Now I got resident status as I stayed more than 182 days kn single calendar year. Now I want to leave to my homecountry. May I know is it possible calim my tax returns. If so do I need to get the tax clearance letter and physical cancellation of my visa before leaving Malaysia? Please suggest

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi, I am not a tax expert and will not be able to give you the right advice. But you try submitting your tax under tax resident (e-BE form). Please note that you can ONLY submit and claim for your tax refund for 2020 in year 2021. After submitting your tax, you can contact the income tax office to inquire about the status. They might ask you to submit a few documents. Make sure you keep all your EA forms, pay slips and passports. I am not sure about the process of leaving Malaysia. I believe you can just leave.

      Delete
  22. Hi , did LHDN give u 2% compensation for late refund?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi

      No, I did not receive any compensation from LHDN.

      Delete