The Malaysian Finance Act 2020 introduced, among others, several legislative changes to the Malaysian Income Tax Act 1967 (ITA) in respect of transfer pricing. Notably, a penalty provision was introduced. Effective 1 January 2021, taxpayers (where applicable) who fail to furnish transfer pricing documentation (TPD) upon the Malaysian Inland Revenue Board’s (MIRB’s) request will be subject to a fine ranging from RM 20,000 to RM 100,000 and / or imprisonment.

Consistent with this, the MIRB has also revised the Transfer Pricing Guidelines 2012 to reduce the time given to taxpayers to furnish their TPD from 30 days to 14 days.

The pandemic-afflicted economic distress has given rise to significant uncertainty and potentially an increase in tax audits. Malaysia has had advance pricing arrangement (“APA”) rules since 2012. APAs provide certainty in terms of transfer pricing risk management on a prospective basis.

Recently, the Malaysian Inland Revenue Board (“MIRB”) has issued a set of guidance in the form of frequently asked questions (“FAQ”) with respect to the treatment of APAs in the COVID-19 pandemic landscape. We are pleased to share the key takeaways from the FAQ on APA Treatment below.

The COVID-19 outbreak has led many countries to implement border controls as a temporary measure to curb infections, and many employers find their employees working from home or in locations outside the jurisdictions where employers typically operate or are located. International travel restrictions affect Boards of Directors and employees of…