A total of 1,493,837 taxpayers submitted their income tax return forms via e-filing as at midnight yesterday, slightly less than the target of 1.5 million set by the Inland Revenue Board (IRB) for this year.

However, the figure is 18.78 percent higher compared to 1.3 million e-filing usage last year.

IRB's chief executive officer Hasmah Abdullah said that because of the overwhelming response from the public in returning their tax forms, operations at IRB headquaters in Jalan Duta in the city was extended from 10pm until midnight.

"At 10pm people were still coming to the Jalan Duta office to file their returns through e-filing," she said.

She said the 18.78 percent drastic increase indicated that taxpayers were more aware about e-filing compared to when the system was introduced in 2005.

Hasmah said e-filing enabled the people to file their income tax returns from home or office without having to rush out and thus had contributed to the increasing number of taxpayers.

Meanwhile, at a press conference earlier, Hasmah said some taxpayers still preferred to come to IRB office for help rather than filling up the forms by themselves.

‘It’s just a 10-minute task’

Election Commision (EC) member Yeo Hock Siew, 70, who agreed with this said e-filing at the office was more conducive as the were IRB officers around to help.

"Although I have computer at home, doing it here is much more better because we can refer to the officers if there is any doubt to be cleared," said the former director general of the Chemistry Department of Malaysia.

A taxpayer Khiruddin Abdullah, 48, said e-filing was much more easier compared to the manual method previously.

"I would encourage my friends and relative to submit their form by this method. It's just a 10-minute job and  not time consuming," said Khiruddin.

Ramesh Subramaniam, 42 said he preferred to submit his income tax return form at IRB office because as a one-stop centre everything could be done under the same roof.

- Bernama