Dewan Negara passes IRB (Amendment) Bill 2023

KUALA LUMPUR: The Dewan Negara today passed the Malaysian Inland Revenue Board (IRB) (Amendment) Bill 2023, with amendments at the committee stage via a majority voice vote.

Deputy Minister of Finance I Datuk Seri Ahmad Maslan (pix), when winding up the debate on the bill, said the amendments made reference to Sabah and Sarawak.

He said initially when he presented the bill in the Dewan Rakyat, the word “consultation” was not stated in relation to the Chief Minister of Sabah and the Premier of Sarawak “for us to appoint Sabah and Sarawak board members.”

He explained that the Ministry of Finance and the Inland Revenue Board had met with the Special Select Committee on Finance and Economy chaired by the Paya Besar member of parliament (MP) and called several other MPs to make amendments to the bill that had been presented in the Dewan Rakyat.

“After that, it was brought back to the cabinet and after it was presented again recently, it was well received by the MPs because we accepted their proposal that there should be talks with the Chief Minister of Sabah and the Premier of Sarawak,“ he said when detailing what had happened regarding the amendments to the bill.

The Dewan Negara continues proceedings tomorrow. -Bernama