SHUIB, BUBBLEBEE DIRECTOR CHARGED WITH FAILING TO PAY SERVICE TAX

SHAH ALAM, Nov 14 (Bernama) -- Bubblebee Sdn Bhd and its two directors have been charged in the Sessions Court here with 18 counts of failing to settle service tax payments, including penalties, amounting to RM1.6 million to the Royal Malaysian Customs Department (JKDM) for the year 2023.

The beverage company and its two directors, Shahmira Muhamad, 40, better known as Shuib, and Koh Choon Guan, 33, who are the defendants, claimed trial to six charges each after the charges were read separately before Judge Rasyihah Ghazali.

According to the charges, in the first case, the defendants were found to have failed to pay service tax to the director-general of JKDM for the year 2023, amounting to RM217,542.62, RM217,592.56, and RM190,848.35 for the tax periods from Jan 1 to Feb 28, March 1 to April 30 and May 1 to June 30, respectively.

In the second case, they failed to pay service tax for the same year, with amounts of RM268,353.06, RM146,870.03, and RM149,947.16 for the tax periods from July 1 to Aug 31, Sept 1 to Oct 31, and Nov 1 November to Dec 31, respectively.

The total outstanding tax amounting to RM1.1 million was allegedly not paid at the SST Division of JKDM, Sultan Abdul Aziz Shah Airport Branch, OPA Building (Old Putra Association), Subang, Selangor, on April 1, June 1, Aug 1, Oct 3, and Dec 1, 2023, as well as Feb 1, 2024.

The offence was committed under Section 26(8) of the Service Tax Act 2018, which provides for a penalty of RM50,000 or imprisonment for a term not exceeding three years, or both.

Under Section 26(10) of the same Act, as well as Section 69(1), the defendants are also required to pay a penalty amounting to RM453,969.42.

The proceedings today were conducted by JKDM prosecuting officers Wan Abdul Rahim Wan Mahamood and Nur Amalina Ahmad Nazeri, while Bubblebee, Shuib, and Koh were represented by lawyer Muhammad Firdaus Shaik Alauddin.

Wan Abdul Rahim and Nur Amalina then requested the court to impose bail of RM2,500 for each charge against Shuib and Koh, considering the substantial outstanding amount owed by the company.

Muhammad Firdaus objected to both applications, saying that this was a civil case and that his clients posed no flight risk, assuring the court that they would attend all scheduled proceedings.

The court subsequently granted bail of RM4,000 for each of them, with one surety.

The case was adjourned to Dec 18 for mention.

-- BERNAMA