Under the Budget 2017 which will be tabled on 21 October 2016 by the Prime Minister, the micro-businesses are hoping to get an attention from the Government. This is because, according to the India Street Pedestrian Mall Management Committee Chairman Dato Wee Hong Seng, the current subsidies were more of the small and medium industries and they did not include the micro-businesses. Micro-businesses operators are those family-owned businesses and retail shops.

The Chairman, said that for example, the purchase of a new cash register, software or engaging an accountant should be exempted from Goods and Services Tax (GST) as these expenses add on to microbusinesses’ expenditures. Meanwhile, Malaysian Association of Tour and Travel Agents Sarawak Chapter Chairman Chris Kon hoped for a tax exemption for tour coaches and GST-waiver for domestic tourism.

Source: The Borneo Post Online, 12 October 2016