KOTA KINABALU, April 30 — The Royal Malaysian Customs Department (RMCD) should play a more dominant and proactive role in facilitating trade imports and exports, and more efficient in implementing the Sales and Services Tax (SST), said Sabah Chief Minister Datuk Seri Mohd Shafie Apdal.

He said this would boost the nation’s economy and its revenue, as well as to strengthen enforcement to completely eradicate smuggling activities which caused leakage in the nation’s revenue.

"The Sabah government is ready to provide any type of assistance, whether in terms of providing infrastructure or consultation through meetings related to the implementation of Federal government policies to ensure its alignment at the state level,” he said.

Mohd Shafie said this in a speech text read by Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Wilfred Madius Tangau, who is also Sabah’s Trade and Industry Minister, at the closing ceremony of the 88th Malaysia Customs Directors Meeting here today.

Also present was RMCD director-general Datuk Paddy Abd Halim.

Mohd Shafie said he hoped the meeting today would have a positive impact towards ensuring an effective taxation system, productive economic growth and a more proactive law enforcement against smuggling activities.

Meanwhile, in his speech, Paddy said RMCD would be implementing the Anti-Bribery Management System (ISO37001:2016) this year to strengthen the integrity practices among the department staff.

He said this was important to ensure the people’s faith in the government and the public service sector’s capabilities.

Paddy added that RMCD would not compromise with regards to any staff misconduct which affected the department’s integrity. — Bernama