DEREGISTERED TAXIS (Diesel tax refund)

Mr Lew Syn Pau asked the Minister for Communications and Information if he will consider allowing taxi diesel tax refund to be pro-rated on a daily basis instead of monthly basis when a taxi is scrapped.

The Minister for Communications and Information (Dr Yeo Ning Hong): Sir, the Customs Act and the Motor Vehicles (Registration and Licensing) Rules require all vehicle owners including taxi owners to pay their road tax and diesel tax on the month of registration. Vehicle owners are free to choose the date for the de-registration of their vehicles. After de-registration they can apply to the ROV to obtain a refund of the remaining months of road and diesel tax which they have paid.

Sir, my suggestion to the Member would be to have the taxis of Comfort registered on the first day of the month and then de-registered on the last day in order to get maximum value for the tax that they have paid.