Government delays e-invoice rollout following MSME concerns, deputy minister says

GEORGE TOWN, June 8 — The government has decided to postpone the implementation of the e-invoice system after taking into account feedback and concerns from business owners, especially micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs), Deputy Finance Minister Lim Hui Ying said today.

She said the delay is intended to give companies more time to adapt to the e-invoice system developed by the Inland Revenue Board (LHDN).

According to LHDN’s statement on June 5, taxpayers with annual income or sales below RM500,000 will be exempted from the system for now. Implementation has been deferred to January 1, 2026, for those earning between RM1 million and RM5 million, while businesses with income up to RM1 million will only begin adopting it on July 1, 2026.

“We initially planned to begin implementation on July 1, 2025, for businesses with annual sales of RM500,000 and above. However, acknowledging the concerns raised, particularly from MSMEs, we’ve revised the timeline and introduced three additional phases,” she said after launching the smart toilets at Lebuh Cecil Public Market.

Lim added that the third phase of the rollout, scheduled for this July 1, will cover businesses with annual income or sales between RM5 million and RM25 million.

As for the stamping of employment contracts starting January 1, 2026, Lim explained that LHDN had not enforced this requirement before.

“After consideration, LHDN and the Finance Ministry have agreed that employment contracts signed before January 1, 2025, will be exempt. However, contracts beginning from January 1, 2026, must be stamped in accordance with the law,” she said.

She urged employers to comply with all provisions under the Stamp Act 1949, particularly those related to contract stamping. — Bernama