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https://www.channelnewsasia.com/singapore/import-cars-jail-tax-gst-duty-evasion-fined-4064701 Low Han Siang, the sole proprietor of car importer M’ Exclusive, will serve 69 months' jail in total. SINGAPORE: A man was fined S$6 million (US$4.4 million) last Friday (Jan 19) for evading duty and Goods and Services Tax (GST) on 1,828 motor cars imported into Singapore. As he failed to pay the fine, Low Han Siang, the sole proprietor of car importer M’ Exclusive, will serve a jail term of 60 months in default. He was also sentenced to an additional nine months' jail for underpaying the Additional Registration Fee (ARF) during the registration of the vehicles. The ARF is a tax imposed when a vehicle is registered, calculated based on a percentage of the Open Market Value of the vehicle. Low, 46, had pleaded guilty to two charges under the Customs Act for evading over S$1.8 million in taxes and duties incurred from importing 1,141 motor vehicles, including brands like Mercedes, Porsche and Tesla, into Singapore between 2017 and 2021. The Singaporean also pleaded guilty to two amalgamated charges of giving incorrect information under the Road Traffic Act. Another two charges of fradulent evasion of GST, six charges of fradulent evasion of duty and GST, five charges of causing an incorrect declaration to be made and four amalgamated charges for giving incorrect information were taken into considering during sentencing. HOW LOW WAS CAUGHT An investigation into M’Exclusive was launched after the car importer was suspected of under-declaring the values of motor vehicles for assessment of duty and GST payable, Singapore Customs said in a press release on Monday. Investigations found that from April 2017 to June 2021, Low created false invoices or asked his suppliers to issue multiple invoices with partial values to conceal the actual values of the imported cars. These invoices were then submitted to Singapore Customs for assessment of duty and GST payable. The suppression of the values of the 1,828 motor cars imported into Singapore between April 2017 and June 2021 resulted in the short payment of duty and GST amounting to about S$3,263,280. It was also discovered that Low had instructed his employee, Lee Pak How, to falsify invoices with suppressed values determined by Low. Lee, a 33-year-old Singapore permanent resident, was fined S$10,000 on Jan 13 after pleading guilty to one charge of falsification of documents. DECLARED VALUES OF IMPORTED MOTOR CARS Singapore Customs said it “closely monitors" the declared values of motor cars imported into Singapore and "will not hesitate to take enforcement actions on errant traders”. The agency added it maintains a "robust commitment" to combat fraudulent evasion of duty and GST, and will take the necessary actions against individuals and entities engaging in such illicit activities. Singapore Customs noted that in January, five individuals involving three separate cases were charged for fraudulent evasion of duty and GST by suppressing the declared values of imported motor cars, making incorrect declaration or causing incorrect declaration to be made on the values of motor vehicles, and falsification of documents. Court proceedings are ongoing for these cases. “Any person who is concerned in fraudulent evasion of any duty or GST on imported goods shall be liable on conviction to a fine of up to 20 times the amount of duty and GST evaded and/or jailed for up to two years,” Singapore Customs said. Any person who is concerned in fraudulent evasion of any duty or GST on imported goods can face a maximum fine of up to 20 times the amount of duty and GST evaded and jailed for up to two years. Any person who gives incorrect information in relation to any matter affecting the amount of tax chargeable shall be liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding S$10,000 or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding six months. "The court shall also order the offender to pay up the ARF which has been undercharged to the LTA," Singapore Customs said.

https://mothership.sg/2018/10/tharman-tommy-koh-social-mobility-inequality-ips-30th-anniversary-transcript/ out-of-context screengrab from DPM Tharman

I know that the existing scheme for post Feb 2013 cars will be based on 50% of ARF. On my vehicle's "log card" as obtained from the LTA / OneMotoring portal, there is a category entitled "Actual ARF Paid". Hence for degistration purposes, is the 50% (almost at the end of the 10 year period) based on this "Actual ARF Paid" amount? OR is the reregistration value actually the amount stated under the category entitled "MinimumPARF Benefit" (which is also stated on the "log card"). Many thanks.

did LTA suddenly change PARF rebate rule. if i remember correctly two years ago, i read somewhere that says parf rebate for cars registered before 2008 above 9 years old but below 10 years old have 55% parf rebate. why now i check on website it is 50% only? who stole that 5%

[extract] On Monday, the 25th of February 2013, the annual Budget statement was announced by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Finance Tharman Shanmugaratnam. He announced a lot of stuff to what people call 'Robin Hood' budget, taxing the more affluent people to aid the poor. Among the announcements, one was regarding the tiered ARF structure