Slow & Lousy System?

Recently, my Tax Partner, myself and my supervisors have been busy requesting for income tax return forms for our clients. This was for the clients that have received the IRAS PINs to invite them to use the e-filing system.

We were disturbed by the fact that the automated phone system failed to recognise our requests for the paper forms.

I had choosen to speak to the tax officer when I call them. I get very bad mannered tax officers most of the time. I have complained to the Quality Service Dept of IRAS before about the rudeness of the tax officers, but it seems to have got worse.

Even though I was part of the team that helped IRAS achieve the 91% of taypayers e-filing their taxes last year, I hope IRAS considers these points as it plans to move the filing of personal income tax on the electronic platform fully in the near future.

1. There are still taxpayers who still prefer to receive the hard copy forms as it serves as a reminder for them to file their taxes.
2. There are people who have phobia about using the PC or logging onto the Internet.
3. There are people who do not know where to get help to file their taxes. Some of them whom I have served were there only as their friends were there, or they just looked at us as we are working.
4. This year, IRAS stopped recruiting volunteers from JCs and Secondary Schools, following feedback from the Citizen Connect Centres & e-clubs that the students are too young to understand the mechanics and importance of tax filing. This has led to a shortage of people coming forward to help. In fact, I am wondering, if only work, sleep & play is the way of life that most Singaporeans that they forgot to give back to what the community give them?

I wonder how are we to become a gracious society?