From 2017, Malaysian taxpayers will be able to claim tax relief from smartphone and tablet purchases, as well as internet subscriptions, under a revamped lifestyle tax relief announced at Budget 2017.
In previous years, Malaysians could only enjoy tax relief on computers and laptops of up to RM3,000 which can only be claimed once every three years. But under the new lifestyle tax relief bracket, the Malaysian government has combined the 21 different categories (such as sporting equipment, computers, and reading materials) into a single category which can be claimed up to a maximum of RM2,500 every year starting from the 2017 assessment.
#Bajet2017 #Myhebat Pelepasan Cukai gaya Hidup pic.twitter.com/jWFxvLs69d
— Jabatan Penerangan Malaysia ❤️🇲🇾 (@JPenerangan) October 21, 2016
The relief will now also extend to the purchase of smartphones and tablets, which is good news to those who upgrade their devices frequently. The inclusion of tablets is also welcome, as the introduction of hybrid devices like 2-in-1 laptops and the Microsoft Surface tablet lineup caused some ambiguity in their eligibility for tax relief.
On top of that, the new lifestyle tax relief will also include internet subscriptions. However, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak did not elaborate if this relief includes both home and mobile internet subscriptions.
