`Business outlets free to decide whether to impose service charge’

The receipt showing an eatery at KLIA2 charging 10 per cent service charge and six per cent SST.

By Lian Cheng

KUCHING, March 23: Business outlets may decide on the percentage of service charge they want to impose, but for sales and services tax (SST), it must be six per cent.

“Some restaurants charge it, others don’t. Those charging it (service charge) claim that it is for the tips of the workers since they don’t have a tip practice.

“And for those charging service charge, it depends on the owners. Some charge five per cent or eight per cent. It depends on the outlet. However, SST must be kept at six per cent,” said Federation of Chinese Associations of Kuching, Samarahan and Serian Divisions president Dato Richard Wee.

Wee was commenting on a sales receipt that has gone viral. The receipt, dated today, showed an eatery in KLIA2 imposing 10 per cent service charge and six per cent SST.

“For this case, to me, if the consumer felt overcharged, he or she should bring the complaint to the F&B outlet.

“There is nothing wrong. I don’t think so, although it seems high that consumers should be charged at that level,” Wee told DayakDaily.