KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 26 — The Royal Malaysian Customs Department collected RM42.5 billion in revenue last year, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob said today.
He said this figure surpassed the initial RM40 billion target the Finance Ministry set last March.
“It is my pleasure to announce here that revenue collection of the Royal Malaysian Customs Department for the year 2021 reached RM42.5 billion, surpassing the RM40 billion target set by the Finance Ministry,” he said during his address at the 40th World Customs Day launch ceremony.
Ismail Sabri said 2021 has also been a highlight for the Customs Department as it succeeded in busting an international drug trafficking cartel by seizing 16 tonnes of narcotics worth RM5.2 billion.
In his address Ismail Sabri highlighted that the celebration of World Customs Day 2022 was themed “Expanding Digital Transformation Customs Through Cultural and Ecosystem Empowerment Data”, which was relevant to the current situation and coincides with efforts to modernise services as well the department’s operations towards shaping the business environment.
This is conducive thus fostering inner confidence among traders and investors, both in the field domestic as well as international, he said.
“Development of digital technology, especially in the sector data as well as information sharing is a platform that is important and has been widely applied in continuing the continuity of public service, especially in facing the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic.
“As a dynamic and sustainable department, the Customs Department needs to ensure all its staff is digitally literate and always willing to adapt to transformation current technology in building as well as cultivating data ecosystem.
“This shift is in line with the aspirations of Digital Network State (WINDOW) and Blueprint initiatives Malaysian Digital Economy (MyDigital) which has organised by the government towards driving Malaysia as a leader in an efficient and proactive digital economy sector, next to shaping a high-income nation,” said Ismail Sabri.
He added that the desire to drive digital transformation in the civil service is also not foreign and had been clearly outlined in the Public Sector Digitisation Strategic Plan 2021–2025.
Also present at the event, Finance Minister Datuk Seri Tengku Zafrul Abdul Aziz expressed gratitude for the Customs Department’s efforts in maintaining prosperity and wellbeing in the country.
“As a context, according to data collected by the World Bank from 2000 to 2019, containers anchored in ports the country has recorded an increase of twenty-foot equivalent units, or TEU from 4.6 million to 26.2 million, which is almost 500 per cent.
“This is a very encouraging achievement, and reflects Malaysia’s position as one of the country’s major trade in the region,” he said in his address.
He added that from the viewpoint revenue collection, the achievement of citation customs and other import duties could be further increased.
“I understand there are challenges in terms of a shipment transfer, or transshipment free of charge, as well as follow-up import duty exemption free trade agreements, or FTAs.
“However, I am confident that the Customs Department will be able to achieve better targets, especially when the country continues to record the number of trades that have soared more than RM2 trillion for the first 11 months of 2021.
“From the total value, RM1.1 trillion were exports, and RM894 billion were imports,” he said.
He also said that with the country and global economy recovery that is expected to continue this year, this value is expected to continue to increase.
