New IRB boss eyes record

Checking-out: Hasmah (right) punching-out for the last time at the

IRB office with Shukor (left) looking on Friday. — Bernama

KUALA LUMPUR: Datuk Dr Mohd Shukor Mahfar, who has just been appointed Inland Revenue Board (IRB) chief executive officer and director-general, wants to break the tax collection record of RM90.7bil in 2008.

Dr Shukor, who assumes the post after his predecessor Tan Sri Hasmah Abdullah retired yesterday, said stable global and domestic economic conditions would help boost collection as taxpayers would be better off financially.

“We want the cooperation of taxpayers, as they are paying for national development.

“They should not see it as a burden but as a responsibility,” he said after Hasmah handed over duties to him in a ceremony here.

Dr Shukor, who was Hasmah’s deputy, said he did not want people to fear the IRB but instead find it a customer-friendly agency.

Hasmah, who became IRB CEO and director-general in October 2006, retired yesterday after serving the agency for almost 38 years.

On her way to becoming the longest-serving IRB officer, Hasmah pushed for electronic tax assessment and payment, and last year, the IRB won the inaugural Prime Minister’s Innovation Award.

The IRB broke the tax collection record in 2008 with RM90.7bil, compared to RM88bil in 2009.

“From 2008 to 2010, the collection dropped 2%, but we still exceeded the target set by the Government by 4%,” she said.

On her retirement, Hasmah said it was like leaving a family, adding that she would take a break before making any future plans.

Sumber: The Star