KOTA KINABALU: Cameras are the latest item to have its tax reduced as of Sunday (Sept 16), and it will be brought down from 10% to 5%.



Finance Minister Lim Guan Eng said this follows requests and appeals from those in the industry to reduce the Sales and Service Tax (SST).



"There are a lot of other tax exemptions and reductions, you have to familiarise yourself with the SST," he said during the second dialogue on SST here on Sunday (Sept 16).



Lim said industries including manufacturers and hotels can claim many tax exemptions.



Recently, the photography industry had appealed for the 10% SST on cameras and accessories to be abolished. This follows the reduction in SST for handphones being reduced from 10% to 5%,



Federation of Commercial Photographic Society president Kuan Tan said the implementation of the SST had affected the development of the local industry.



On a question by Malaysian International Chamber of Commerce and Industry Sabah chairman, Datuk Seri Wong Khen Thau, to have the SST reduced from 10% (sales) and 6% (services) by half for Sabah, Lim said the matter will be looked into.



Wong said this was because Sabah remains the poorest state in Malaysia and the people were still struggling to earn a living.



Lim said the government need to collect tax no matter how much the people detest it as it was necessary to run a country.



"SST is so much more easy on consumers and businesses compared with GST (Goods and Services Tax), so please understand and help us," he said.



He said the economic situation around the globe was also unstable due to reasons such as the trade war between China and United States.



Also present during the dialogue was Customs Department director-general Datuk Seri T. Subromaniam.



Those with questions on SST are urged to call the Customs hotline or search for answers in the department's and SST related websites.



The public can also call Customs officials in charge at 016-8028018 or 013-8540888 during office hours for further information.