New system: Khazali inspecting the barcode reader of the autogate system at the KLIA Customs Complex in Sepang. Also present is Customs deputy director (Enforcement/Compliance Division) Datuk Matrang Suhaili (left).
SEPANG: A new fully automated gate system is being set up at Customs checkpoints throughout the country to reduce corruption and increase efficiency.
The uCustoms Autogate system, scheduled to go live on Jan 1 next year, will allow for the declaration of goods and payment of duties by businesses to be hassle-free and done online.
Customs director-general Datuk Seri Khazali Ahmad said once the declaration and payment were completed, an e-mail with a barcode would be sent to the applicant or agent.
“They can just scan the barcode, either as a hardcopy or on their smartphone, at the gate to clear Customs.
“This system completely eliminates human intervention by Customs officers, thus reducing the possibility of corruption significantly as well as speed up the whole process,” he said.
Khazali said this yesterday after launching an awareness campaign for the system at the Customs headquarters at the KLIA.
He said the whole system would be managed at the department’s new National Clearance Centre in Putrajaya.
He added that the scanners for the system were still being installed at all Customs checkpoints and would go live on Jan 1.
“We will be educating all the relevant parties on the system starting April this year and we are confident that everything will be in place come Jan 1,” he said.
Khazali added that Customs offices nationwide would be open until 10pm today as it would be the last day for companies to register for the Goods and Services Tax (GST).
“We hope that they take this opportunity to register with us or they face paying a compound of RM15,000,” he said.
He said that as of yesterday, around 60,000 companies had yet to register.
Khazali said the department would carry out Ops GST from March 1, when it would pay a visit to those still not registered.
“Claims of not being computer-savvy or that they have no Internet service will not be entertained,” he said
