KUALA LUMPUR, March 10 — Income received from employment exercised in Singapore is not liable to tax in Malaysia, says the Inland Revenue Board of Malaysia (IRB).

Its chief executive officer, Datuk Seri Sabin Samitah, said this is because that income is not derived from the exercising of employment in Malaysia. 

"For an individual residing in Malaysia for a period exceeding 183 days, the individual is deemed to be a resident for tax purposes in Malaysia under the Income Tax Act 1967 (ITA 1967).

"However, if the said individual does not receive any income deriving from Malaysia and only receives employment income derived from Singapore, then the individual is still not liable for tax in Malaysia,” he said in a statement today.

Sabin was clarifying a report published by a Chinese newspaper today which "has caused confusion regarding basic questions of income derived from Singapore and tax residence status.”

He said the resident status of an individual in Malaysia would not automatically result in the income received by the individual to be subjected to Malaysian tax laws.

Moreover, any income remitted to Malaysia from abroad is also exempt under Paragraph 28, Schedule 6 of the ITA 1967, he added. 

Further clarification can be sought by visiting the nearest IRB office or by contacting Hasil Care Line LHDNM at 1-800-88-5436 or 603-7713 6666 (overseas). — Bernama