BolehVPN: Freedom Through Security

If you’re Malaysian and have imported stuff from overseas, you would have probably encountered the sometimes arbitrary applications of taxes upon your goods. Here is a quick guide, to quickly estimate the taxes payable and make sure you’re not being ripped off. This is not related to our VPN services, but merely a public service announcement since the system we have on Customs is pretty crap.

1. Search the HS Code (Harmonized System Code) for your item. There’s a lot of sites for this but this I found Export Malaysia’s HS site to be pretty easy to use.
2. Surf to the Customs website here. The reason why we did Step 1, is that the customs website isn’t accurate in searching for item descriptions  (in typical Malaysian style).
3. Enter the first four digits of the HS Code into the Search By field. Do not enter the full code as sometimes the site will return no result so it’s better to go to the more broad category first.
4. There might also be in the Notes some description of import restrictions.

As a working example, let’s say I want to import earphones. I do a search on Export Malaysia and the results are as follows:

I then enter the first four digits (8518) of the HS Code into the Search By Field in the Customs Website (http://tariff.customs.gov.my/) and get the following results.

I can see that earphones fall under 851830100. Also I now can see, import tax duty is 5% and Sales Tax is 10% so I can expect to pay 15% tax.

Note how if I enter in the more complete code of 851830, I am not shown the 851830100 result for some absurd reason and would have been left blind.

Hope this helps any of you seeking to import things from overseas! This isn’t professional advice as well and it’s merely a guide to show you how to get the Tariff site working for you.

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Was doing a little test last night to see whether a decent stream could be obtained from Hulu and Netflix using BolehVPN from Malaysia using my 2Mbit Streamyx connection. Results are as above. Netflix streamed smoothly with no noticeable buffering. Hulu was also surprisingly smooth.

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Just went to the TM site and noticed a countdown happening:

Clicking on it brings you to the HSBB teaser site which really doesn’t tease much since it’s just a bunch of text but lends us to believe that either HSBB is going to be launched then OR that HSBB’s details will be finalized then:

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I have been an ardent supporter of Dell in the past with all our company purchases going through Dell. Their support has been usually top notch and perhaps the best thing is that I can fully see the prices and customization options from the comfort of my own home. Compare this to HP or Acer’s site and it’s easy to see how easy it is to order on Dell’s site as compared to even figuring out prices on Acer/HP.

On the 22nd February, in an impulsive moment, I bought myself an Alienware M11X netbook. I picked the Maybank 0% 12 month installment option and was given a Dell acknowledgment e-mail. I waited, and waited and the online tracking system kept on showing the status as ‘Order Received’ with no updates as to when I would receive my item. In fact up till t0day which is the 3rd March, it still shows ‘Order Received’.

Trying to e-mail their customer support was an exercise in futility with 4 e-mails sent and only one replied JUST today telling me that they require my Order #IRN…when I have provided them my Order Number already though I assume IRN means ‘Internet Reference Number’. I figured it out but seriously, do you expect your average customer to do so?

Dear Reuben,

Thank you for contacting Dell Customer Service.

Kindly advice us with your order#/IRN# to further assist you.

Thank you.
Dell Customer Service

Very ‘helpful’.

I also had tried to call 4-5 x and was put on hold for more than 20 minutes before I gave up.

I finally managed to talk to a customer representative today. I almost thought I was speaking to a robot as she spoke in a monotone and very slowly. I suppose this is part of their training in ensuring she’s heard. I was told that the order was actually already in the factory and that if I wished to cancel, I would have to pay RM80.00 as a cancellation charge. I asked as to why there was such a delay in answering calls and e-mails. She honestly told me that Dell was facing a parts shortage and as a result many customers were calling for a status update…Good to know! I was told that my netbook was now expected to arrive late next week making it a wait of more than 3 weeks.

So if you’re buying a Dell now, just take note that you may have to wait a while for it.

Here’s hoping that my frickin netbook is decent at least:

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A damaged undersea cable has affected connectivity for Malaysian customers to the US, Singapore and HK region and as such internet connectivity to such regions will be affected. Please note that despite the report below, links to Europe may be affected as well due to the rerouting of US traffic through the alternate lines.

This is particularly humorous considering that the AAG cable system is less than a year old! Obviously bad positioning… For more information on the AAG, you can read it up here.

Taken from The Star

KUALA LUMPUR: Telekom Malaysia Bhd’s (TM) Internet service was disrupted by a damaged underwater cable circuit at the Asian American Gateway (AAG) in Lantau, China.

In a statement issued yesterday, TM said due to the damage at AAG, which links Malaysia to the United States, customers surfing websites hosted in Hong Kong and the US would be experiencing slow connection.

Those using Internet protocol (IP)-like virtual private network (VPN) and critical business applications linked to Hong Kong and the US might encounter service disruption.

The statement said to overcome the problem, several Internet lines were directed to alternative connections to reduce traffic congestion.

With repairs under way, traffic to North America and Hong Kong would experience disruption while traffic to other countries would remain the same.

TM customers can report problems by calling the 100 line and choose “Internet service” or sending e-mails. — Bernama

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