KUCHING: Sarawak Youth Central Publicity, Milton Foo queried if
notices from the Customs Department were issued to GST (Goods and Services Tax) debtors before
barring them from travelling overseas.
Foo said although there was a law empowering the Immigration Director
General to bar people from travelling overseas without giving any reason upon receiving the requests from the Customs Department, as a matter of fairness
and natural justice, advance notices should also be issued to the people concerned, notifying and informing them of the ban.
Foo pointed out there were people who were caught unaware.
“By letting the affected people know, they can proceed to pay the GST
debts failing which the Customs Department within a specified time can proceed with the requests to Immigration authority to bar them from travelling abroad.”
He also said there were business people who waited for a long time
for the GST input tax refund.
“Should there be a penalty against
people for failing to settle the GST by imposing the travelling bar, there must
equally be a remedy against the authority (Customs) for failing to
refund or delaying the refund,” he added.
