My recent encounter with an unexpected customs duty on my purchase from the UK left me both frustrated and contemplative, as I found myself compelled to pay customs tax for a vital supplement that has been an integral part of Cass’ health routine for over a decade.
For the past 13 years, I have been a loyal customer of Sweet Cures in England, relying on their D-Mannose supplement to maintain Cass’ urinary tract health. Never before had I encountered customs-related issues or additional fees. However, last week marked a sudden and unwelcome change.
My routine check on the Pos Malaysia website to track the status of the parcel, containing ten bottles of D-Mannose worth close to a thousand Ringgit showed that the parcel had been held back by the customs department pending tax clearance. Confused and concerned, I reached out to the Pos Malaysia hotline for guidance.
Days turned into an agonizing week of uncertainty before I received an update. Today, Pos Malaysia finally revealed the distressing news – I was required to pay RM113 in customs tax so that the parcel could be released. This amount is inclusive of the appointment of an agent to assist me with the procedures at the Customs Department. The bitter pill was not just metaphorical; it was a tangible, monetary setback for ensuring that I got my parcel. I felt like I was held ransom and had no choice but to give in to the demand.
What struck me as particularly disheartening was that this tax was levied on a product designed to promote health and prevent illness. In the face of escalating healthcare costs, one would hope that essential and preventive medications would be exempt from such financial burdens.
I have never faced such issue with the Customs for more than a decade, but why now, all of a sudden? Is this something new that I’m not aware of? Or is this practice carried out on random parcels? Can someone please enlighten me?
The same thing happened to one of our parcels sent from England by my SIL recently. We have never encountered our parcels being held back by Customs but this particular parcel was detained and Alycia had to pay close to RM200 for the release of the parcel, which contained household stuff.
Determined to address what felt like an injustice, I penned a heartfelt appeal by email to the Customs Department, pleading for a waiver on compassionate grounds. Unfortunately, my plea was met with a rejection, leaving me disheartened and questioning the fairness of the system.
As a result of this discouraging encounter, I find myself contemplating a significant shift in my future purchase of this supplement or anything for that matter from overseas. The hassle and financial strain of customs tax have led me to reconsider sourcing my supplements and medications internationally. Instead, I am now inclined to support local pharmacies, whether online or offline, where I can sidestep the uncertainty and extra costs associated with customs clearance.
While I acknowledge the necessity of customs procedures to regulate the flow of goods across borders, the taxation of essential medications remains a bitter pill to swallow. My unfortunate experience has underscored the challenges and financial burdens that can arise unexpectedly, prompting a re-evaluation of my approach to purchasing vital health supplies in the future.
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There is a 10% import duty on online purchases which exceed RM400 hence the tax… if postage is low or free perhaps consider spliting purchases…
Thanks so much for enlightening me, Pat! 🙂
I didn’t know that. I’m wondering why there wasn’t any tax on the parcels all these years as the purchases were all above RM500. 🤔
In the future, I may buy fewer quantities or just switch to purchasing from local stores.