The Inland Revenue Board (IRB) has received 2,019,924 income tax return forms as of yesterday, up 14.67 percent as compared with 1,761,503 forms last year.

Chief executive officer Dr Mohd Shukor Mahfar said acceptance of the forms via e-Filing was very encouraging.

He said the extended deadline to submit the BE Income Tax Assessment Form 2011 through e-Filing lapsed yesterday.

The IRB’s target to receive 2.5 million income tax return forms via e-Filing would be realised by year-end, he said in a statement today.

Mohd Shukor attributed the higher income tax return forms to introduction of the e-Filing system - sending the forms via the portable device and smartphones - this year.

He said late taxpayers could still use e-Filing or m-Filing to send in their tax returns but they have to pay a penalty for missing the deadline.

The penalty, under sub-section 112(3) of the Income Tax Act 1967, must be imposed as one of the preventive measures and to encourage compliance among taxpayers to pay tax within the stipulated deadline, he added.

- Bernama