The government under Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s leadership had given more tax relief to megaprojects and this had caused the government direct losses, Customs Department director-general Subromaniam Tholasy said today.

This was in contrast with the present government’s decision to grant China Communications Construction Company (CCCC) a relief from paying the goods and services tax (GST) in its procurement of the East Coast Rail Link (ECRL), which the department said would ultimately benefit the government and people...