Yii (centre) speaks to LHDN officer during the visit.
KUCHING (Jan 6): Bandar Kuching MP Dr Kelvin Yii Lee Wuen urges the Inland Revenue Board (LHDN) to improve its efficiency in registering and renewal of business trade licences.
He said this is a yearly problem with multiple complaints from the public due to the inconvenience and long-waiting hours experienced by the public. Many also complained of limited (queue) numbers given out daily.
Many had no choice but to return a few times on different days just to get it settled. This caused much inconvenience to those who have to take time off work to do it, or those who have to travel far, he added.
“During my visit to LHDN this morning together with my special assistant George Lam.
“I am grateful to the officer-in-charge who took time to see us and discussed ways to improve customer service during my visit to the LHDN, together with my special assistant George Lam, this morning.
“We were informed that they could only give out about 100 numbers a day to ensure they can process them all before they close for the day,” he said in a statement yesterday.
He said the delay was due to LHDN having changed their system of renewing trade licence for sole proprietorship, enterprise and business registration to the new system. while the renewal for ‘Sdn Bhd’ still uses the old system. The loading of system is also causing the delay of renewing trade licence.
He said he had discussed with LHDN representative ways to improve the system on top of them ensuring that more counters would be opened. They also assured us that they would open the third floor starting today to specifically proceed with the ‘Sdn Bhd’ renewal so that other renewals and registrations could be done quicker.
“We also proposed a proper appointment system for the elderly and disabled people (PwD) so that they do not have to wait too long to go through the process.”
He also said a longer-term solution was needed in addressing the root causes of the problem while the current system must be improved.
“During my last visit to the LHDN, we were informed that they would implement registration online in the next few months, which was delayed until today.
“The officer in-charge gave us the assurance that the system would open to the public by the end of this month, which, if properly implemented, would allow the public to do their business registration online without the need to turn up physically at the counters,” he said.
He also raised the issue of the non-working escalators in the building, which is inconveniencing the public, especially the elderly.