General information
The Director General of Customs (DGC) issued Public Ruling No. 01/2026, titled “Determination of Foreign Currency Selling Exchange Rates for Service Tax Invoices and Sales Tax Invoices”. The ruling was issued under Section 41 of the Service Tax Act 2018 and Section 42 of the Sales Tax Act 2018.
The ruling clarifies how foreign currency amounts must be converted into Malaysian Ringgit (MYR) when issuing invoices for taxable services or goods.
Scope
It applies to service tax-registered persons and sales tax-registered manufacturers who issue invoices in a currency other than MYR.
Invoicing Requirements
Under Section 21 of the Service Tax Act 2018, registered persons must issue an invoice for taxable services. If any amount is stated in foreign currency, it must also be shown in MYR using the applicable foreign currency selling exchange rate in Malaysia at the time the taxable service is provided.
Similarly, under Section 21 of the Sales Tax Act 2018 and Regulation 7 of the Sales Tax Regulations 2018, registered manufacturers must convert foreign currency amounts into MYR using the applicable selling exchange rate in Malaysia at the time the taxable goods are sold.
Determination of Exchange Rate
The total amount must be converted using the foreign currency selling exchange rate applicable in Malaysia at the relevant time (when the service is provided or goods are sold).
The exchange rate may be sourced from any of the following:
- Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM)
- Any commercial bank in Malaysia or any bank registered under BNM
- International news agencies (Bloomberg, Reuters, or Oanda)
- Foreign central banks (e.g., European Central Bank or Federal Reserve Bank of New York)
The same exchange rate source must be used consistently for business reporting and accounting for at least one year from the end of the accounting period.
Alternative Sources
Requests to use any exchange rate source not listed above must be submitted in writing to the Service Tax Policy Branch or Sales Tax Policy Branch of the Royal Malaysian Customs Department for approval by the Director General of Customs.
Import-Related Clarification
The ruling distinguishes between domestic transactions and imports:
- For imported taxable goods, customs duty, excise duty, and sales tax must use the exchange rate determined by the Director General of Customs at the time of importation.
- For imported taxable services, the foreign currency selling exchange rate applicable in Malaysia at the time the service takes place must be used.
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