CYBERJAYA, Oct 28 – Communications and Multimedia Minister Datuk Seri Dr Salleh Said Keruak said there was a system is being developed to effectively implement rebates for mobile prepaid cards, which among others can be used to differentiate between local and foreign prepaid mobile phone users, beginning January next year.
Salleh said the government has decided that only Malaysian users were entitled for the rebates. He said the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) and telecommunication companies (telcos) which were developing the system would also focus on technical aspects including when users would receive their airtime rebates.
“However, the system will be ready by January 2016. We just can assure you by then, in the meantime we will also implement on it,” he told reporters after attending a seminar on the Role of New Media in Fighting Against Perception Terrorism at MCMC, here on Tuesday.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak when tabling the budget announced that Malaysian consumers would get rebates on mobile prepaid cards equivalent to the Goods and Services Tax (GST) amount paid effective Jan 1, 2016 to Dec 31, 2016. Following the announcement, Salleh said all prepaid reload cards would be subjected to the GST but Malaysian users would get rebates equivalent to the GST amount paid.
Citing an example, he said if a user bought a prepaid reload card worth RM10, RM0.60 GST would still be imposed but Malaysian users would get the rebates equivalent to the GST amount paid in the form of airtime. Currently, there are around 33 million registered prepaid mobile phone users in the country with five million of them being foreign users. Salleh also said that the rebates would be borne by the government through its internal fund, MCMC as well as telcos.
