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Double Taxation Agreement
7 March 1988
and Protocol of 7 March 1988
Scope of the Agreement
Article 1
PERSONAL SCOPE
This Agreement shall apply to persons who are residents
of one or both of the States.
Article 2
TAXES COVERED
1. The existing taxes to which the Agreement shall apply
are in particular:
a) in the Netherlands:
i. de inkomstenbelasting (income tax),
ii. de loonbelasting (wages tax),
iii. de vennootschapsbelasting (company tax) including
the Government share in the net profits of the exploitation of natural
resources levied pursuant to the Mijnwet 1810 (the Mining Act of 1810)
with respect to concessions issued from 1967, or pursuant to the Mijnwet
Continentaal Plat 1965 (the Nederlands Continental Shelf Mining Act of
1965),
iv. de dividendbelasting (dividend tax),
(hereinafter referred to as "Netherlands tax");
b) in Malaysia:
i. income tax and excess profit tax,
ii. supplementary income taxes, that is, tin profits
tax, development tax and timber profits tax, and iii. petroleum income
tax,
(hereinafter referred to as "Malaysian tax").
2. This Agreement shall also apply to any identical or substantially
similar taxes which are imposed by either State after the date of signature
of this Agreement in addition to, or in place of, the existing taxes. The
competent authority of each State shall notify the competent authority
of the other State of any significant changes which have been made in the
laws of its State relating to the taxes to which this Agreement applies.
Definitions
Article 3
GENERAL DEFINITIONS
1. For the purposes of this Agreement, unless the context
otherwise requires:
a) the term "State" means the Netherlands or
Malaysia, as the context requires; the term "States" means the Netherlands
and Malaysia;
b) the term "the Netherlands" comprises the part of the
Kingdom of the Netherlands that is situated in Europe and the part of the
sea-bed and its sub-soil under the North Sea, over which the Kingdom of
the Netherlands has sovereign rights in accordance with international law;
c) the term "Malaysia" means the Federation of Malaysia
and includes any area adjacent to the territorial waters of Malaysia which,
in accordance with international law, has been or may hereafter be designated
under the laws of Malaysia concerning the Continental Shelf as an area
within which the rights of Malaysia with respect to the exploration and
exploitation of natural resources, whether living or non-living, of the
sea-bed and sub-soil and the superjacent waters, may be exercised;
d) the term "person" includes an individual, a company
and any other body of persons which is treated as a person for tax purposes;
e) the term "company" means any body corporate or any
entity which is treated as a body corporate for tax purposes;
f) the terms "enterprise of one of the States" and "enterprise
of the other State" mean respectively an enterprise carried on by a resident
of one of the States and an enterprise carried on by a resident of the
other State;
g) the term "international traffic" means any transport
by a ship or aircraft operated by an enterprise of one of the States, except
when the ship or aircraft is operated solely between places in the other
State;
h) the term "national" means: i. any individual possessing
the citizenship or nationality of one of the States; ii. any legal person,
partnership, association and any other entity deriving its status as such
from the laws in force in one of the States;
i) the term "competent authority" means: i. in the Netherlands,
the Minister of Finance or his authorised representative; ii. in Malaysia,
the Minister of Finance or his authorised representative.
2. As regards the application of the Agreement by one of
the States, any term not defined therein shall, unless the context otherwise
requires, have the meaning which it has under the law of the State concerning
the taxes to which the Agreement applies.
Article 4
RESIDENT
1. For the purposes of this Agreement, the term "resident
of one of the States" means:
a) in the case of the Netherlands, a person who
is resident in the Netherlands for the purposes of Netherlands tax; and
b) in the case of Malaysia, a person who is resident
in Malaysia for the purposes of Malaysian tax.
2. Where by reason of the provisions of paragraph 1 an individual
is a resident of both States, then his status shall be determined as follows:
a) he shall be deemed to be a resident of the
State in which he has a permanent home available to him; if he has a permanent
home available to him in both States, he shall be deemed to be a resident
of the State with which his personal and economic relations are closer
(centre of vital interests);
b) if the State in which he has his centre of vital interests
cannot be determined, or if he has not a permanent home available to him
in either State, he shall be deemed to be a resident of the State in which
he has an habitual abode;
c) if he has an habitual abode in both States or in neither
of them, he shall be deemed to be a resident of the State of which he is
a national;
d) if he is a national of both States or of neither of
them, the competent authorities of the States shall settle the question
by mutual agreement.
3. Where by reason of the provisions of paragraph 1 a person
other than an individual is a resident of both States, then it shall be
deemed to be a resident of the State in which its place of effective management
is situated.
Article 5
PERMANENT ESTABLISHMENT
1. For the purposes of this Agreement, the term "permanent
establishment" means a fixed place of business through which the business
of an enterprise is wholly or partly carried on.
2. The term "permanent establishment" includes especially:
a) a place of management;
b) a branch;
c) an office;
d) a factory;
e) a workshop;
f) a mine, an oil or gas well, a quarry or any other
place of extraction of natural resources including timber or other forest
produce;
g) a farm or plantation;
h) an installation or structure used for the exploration
of natural resources.
3. The term "permanent establishment" likewise encompasses
a building site, a construction, assembly or installation project or supervisory
activities in connection therewith, but only where such site, project or
activities continue for a period of more than six months.
4. Notwithstanding the preceding provisions of this Article,
the term "permanent establishment" shall be deemed not to include:
a) the use of facilities solely for the purpose
of storage, display or delivery of goods or merchandise belonging to the
enterprise;
b) the maintenance of a stock of goods or merchandise
belonging to the enterprise solely for the purpose of storage, display
or delivery;
c) the maintenance of a stock of goods or merchandise
belonging to the enterprise solely for the purpose of processing by another
enterprise;
d) the maintenance of a fixed place of business solely
for the purpose of purchasing goods or merchandise or of collecting information
for the enterprise;
e) the maintenance of a fixed place of business solely
for the purpose of advertising, for the supply of information, for scientific
research or for similar activities which have a preparatory or auxiliary
character, for the enterprise;
f) the maintenance of a fixed place of business solely
for any combination of activities mentioned in sub-paragraphs (a) to (e),
provided that the overall activity of the fixed place of business resulting
from this combination is of a preparatory or auxiliary character.
5. Notwithstanding the provisions of paragraphs 1 and 2,
where a person - other than an agent of an independent status to whom paragraph
6 applies - is acting in one of the States on behalf of an enterprise of
the other State, that enterprise shall be deemed to have a permanent establishment
in the first-mentioned State in respect of any activity which that person
undertakes for the enterprise if the person:
a) has, and habitually exercises, in the first-mentioned
State an authority to conclude contracts in the name of the enterprise,
unless the activities of such person are limited to those mentioned in
paragraph 4 which, if exercised through a fixed place of business, would
not make this fixed place of business a permanent establishment under the
provisions of that paragraph; or
b) has no such authority, but habitually maintains in
the first-mentioned State a stock of goods or merchandise belonging to
the enterprise from which he regularly fills orders on behalf of the enterprise.
6. An enterprise shall not be deemed to have a permanent
establishment in one of the States merely because it carries on business
in that State through a broker, general commission agent or any other agent
of an independent status, where such persons are acting in the ordinary
course of business, except where such an agent carries on business wholly
or almost wholly for that enterprise itself or for that enterprise and
other enterprises which are controlled by it or have a controlling interest
in it.
7. The fact that a company which is a resident of one
of the States controls or is controlled by a company which is a resident
of the other State, or which carries on business in that other State (whether
through a permanent establishment or otherwise), shall not of itself constitute
either company a permanent establishment of the other.
Article 6
LIMITATION OF RELIEF
Where this Agreement provides (with or without other conditions)
that income shall be relieved wholly or partly from tax in one of the States
and under the laws in force in the other State the said income is subject
to tax by reference to the amount thereof which is remitted to or received
in that other State and not by reference to the full amount thereof, then
the relief to be allowed under this Agreement in the first-mentioned State
shall apply only to so much of the income as is remitted to or received
in that other State:
Provided that where-
a) in accordance with the foregoing provisions of this
Article, relief has not been allowed in the first instance in the first-mentioned
State in respect of an amount of income; and
b) that amount of income has subsequently been remitted
to or received in the other State and is thereby subject to tax in that
other State, the first-mentioned State shall, subject to any laws thereof
for the time being in force limiting the time and setting out the method
for the making of a refund of tax, allow relief in respect of that amount
of income in accordance with the appropriate provisions of this Agreement.
Taxation of income
Article 7
INCOME FROM IMMOVABLE PROPERTY
1. Income derived by a resident of one of the States from
immovable property situated in the other State may be taxed in that other
State.
2. The term "immovable property" shall have the meaning
which it has under the law of the State in which the property is situated.
The term shall in any case include property accessory to immovable property,
livestock and equipment used in agriculture and forestry, rights to which
the provisions of general law respecting landed property apply, usufruct
of immovable property and rights to variable or fixed payments as consideration
for the working of, or the right to work, mineral deposits, oil or gas
wells, quarries and other places of extraction of natural resources or
of timber or other forest produce. Ships, boats and aircraft shall not
be regarded as immovable property.
3. The provisions of paragraph 1 shall apply to income
derived from the direct use, letting or use in any other form of immovable
property.
4. The provisions of paragraphs 1 and 3 shall also apply
to the income from immovable property of an enterprise and to income from
immovable property used for the performance of professional services.
Article 8
BUSINESS INCOME OR PROFITS
1. The income or profits of an enterprise of one of the
States shall be taxable only in that State unless the enterprise carries
on business in the other State through a permanent establishment situated
therein. If the enterprise carries on business as aforesaid, the income
or profits of the enterprise may be taxed in the other State but only so
much of them as is attributable to that permanent establishment.
2. Subject to the provisions of paragraph 3, where an
enterprise of one of the States carries on business in the other State
through a permanent establishment situated therein, there shall in each
State be attributed to that permanent establishment to income or profits
which it might be expected to make if it were a distinct and separate enterprise
engaged in the same or similar activities under the same or similar conditions
and dealing wholly independently with the enterprise of which it is a permanent
establishment.
3. In determining the income or profits of a permanent
establishment, there shall be allowed as deductions expenses, including
executive and general administrative expenses, which would be deductible
if the permanent establishment were an independent enterprise, insofar
as they are reasonably allocable to the permanent establishment, whether
incurred in the State in which the permanent establishment is situated
or elsewhere.
4. If the information available is inadequate to determine
the income or profits to be attributed to the permanent establishment,
nothing in this Article shall affect the application of any law of a State
relating to the determination of the tax liability of a person by making
an estimate, provided that the result shall be in accordance with the principles
contained in this Article.
5. No income or profits shall be attributed to a permanent
establishment by reason of the mere purchase by that permanent establishment
of goods or merchandise for the enterprise.
6. Where income or profits include items of income which
are dealt with separately in other Articles of this Agreement, then the
provisions of those Articles shall not be affected by the provisions of
this Article.
Article 9
SHIPPING AND AIR TRANSPORT
1. Income or profits of an enterprise of one of the States
from the operation of ships or aircraft in international traffic shall
be taxable only in that State.
2. The provisions of paragraph 1 shall also apply to income
or profits derived from the participation in a pool, a joint business or
an international operating agency.
Article 10
ASSOCIATED ENTERPRISES
Where -
a) an enterprise of one of the States participates directly
or indirectly in the management, control or capital of an enterprise of
the other State, or
b) the same persons participate directly or indirectly
in the management, control or capital of an enterprise of one of the States
and an enterprise of the other State, and in either case conditions
are made or imposed between the two enterprises in their commercial or
financial relations which differ from those which would be made between
independent enterprises, then any income or profits which would, but for
those conditions, have accrued to one of the enterprises, but, by reason
of conditions, have not so accrued, may be included in the profits of that
enterprise and taxed accordingly.
Article 11
DIVIDENDS
1. Dividends paid by a company which is a resident of
one of the States to a resident of the other State may be taxed in that
other State.
2. However, dividends paid by a company which is a resident
of the Netherlands to a resident of Malaysia may also be taxed in the Netherlands
and according to Netherlands law, but if the recipient is the beneficial
owner of the dividends the tax so charged shall not exceed 15 per cent
of the gross amount of the dividends. Where, however, the beneficial owner
of the dividends is a company the capital of which is wholly or partly
divided into shares and which holds directly or indirectly at least 25
per cent of the capital of the company paying the dividends, the Netherlands
shall not levy a tax on the dividends. The competent authorities of the
States shall by mutual agreement settle the mode of application of this
paragraph.
3. Dividends paid by a company which is a resident of
Malaysia to a resident of the Netherlands who is the beneficial owner thereof
shall be exempt from any tax in Malaysia which is chargeable on dividends
in addition to the tax chargeable in respect of the income or profits of
the company:
Provided that nothing in this paragraph shall affect the
provisions of the Malaysian law under which the tax in respect of a dividend
paid by a company which is a resident of Malaysia from which Malaysian
tax has been, or has been deemed to be, deducted may be adjusted by reference
to the rate of tax appropriate to the Malaysian year of assessment immediately
following that in which the dividend was paid.
4. The provisions of paragraphs 2 and 3 shall not affect
the taxation of the company in respect of the income or profits out of
which the dividends are paid.
5. The term "dividends" as used in this Article means
income from shares, "jouissance" shares or "jouissance" rights, mining
shares, founders' shares or other rights, not being debt-claims, participating
in profits, as well as income from other corporate rights assimilated to
income from shares by the taxation law of the State of which the company
making the distribution is a resident.
6. The provisions of paragraphs 1, 2 and 3 shall not apply
if the beneficial owner of the dividends, being a resident of one of the
States, carries on business in the other State of which the company paying
the dividends is a resident, through a permanent establishment situated
therein and the holding in respect of which the dividends are paid is effectively
connected with such permanent establishment. In such case the provisions
of Article 8 shall apply.
7. Where a company which is a resident of one of the States
derives income or profits from the other State, that other State may not
impose any tax on the dividends paid by the company, except insofar as
such dividends are paid to a resident of that other State or insofar as
the holding in respect of which the dividends are paid is effectively connected
with a permanent establishment situated in that other State, nor subject
the company's undistributed income or profits to a tax on the company's
undistributed income or profits, even if the dividends paid or the undistributed
income or profits consist wholly or partly of income or profits arising
in such other State.
Article 12
INTEREST
1. Interest arising in one of the States and paid to a
resident of the other State may be taxed in that other State.
2. However, such interest may also be taxed in the State
in which it arises and according to the laws of that State, but if the
recipient is the beneficial owner of the interest the tax so charged shall
not exceed 15 percent of the gross amount of the interest.
3. Notwithstanding the provisions of paragraph 2, interest
paid or credited to a resident of the Netherlands by a person licensed
to carry on banking business in Malaysia, or on an approved loan or a long-term
loan, shall be exempt from Malaysian tax.
4. The competent authorities of the States shall by mutual
agreement settle the mode of application of paragraphs 2 and 3.
5. The term "interest" as used in this Article means income
from debt-claims of every kind, whether or not secured by mortgage, and
whether or not carrying a right to participate in the debtor's profits,
and in particular, income from government securities and income from bonds
or debentures, including premiums and prizes attaching to such securities,
bonds or debentures. Penalty charges for late payment shall not be regarded
as interest for the purpose of this Article.
6. The provisions of paragraphs 1, 2 and 3 shall not apply
if the beneficial owner of the interest, being a resident of one of the
States, carries on business in the other State in which the interest arises,
through a permanent establishment situated therein, and the debt-claim
in respect of which the interest is paid is effectively connected with
such permanent establishment. In such case, the provisions of Article 8
shall apply.
7. Interest shall be deemed to arise in one of the States
when the payer is that State itself, a political sub-division, a local
authority or statutory body thereof, or a resident of that State. Where,
however, the person paying the interest, whether he is a resident of one
of the States or not, has in one of the States a permanent establishment
in connection with which the indebtedness on which the interest is paid
was incurred, and such interest is borne by such permanent establishment,
then such interest shall be deemed to arise in the State in which the permanent
establishment is situated.
8. Where, by reason of a special relationship between
the payer and the beneficial owner or between both of them and some other
person, the amount of the interest, having regard to the debt-claim for
which it is paid, exceeds the amount which would have been agreed upon
by the payer and the beneficial owner in the absence of such relationship,
the provisions of this Article shall apply only to the last-mentioned amount.
In such case, the excess part of the payments shall remain taxable according
to the laws of each State, due regard being had to the other provisions
of this Agreement.
9. Notwithstanding the provisions of paragraph 2, the
Government of one of the States shall be exempt from tax in the other State
in respect of interest derived by the Government from that other State.
For the purposes of this paragraph, the term "Government":
a) in the case of the Netherlands, means the
Government of the Kingdom of the Netherlands and shall include: i. the
local authorities; ii. the statutory bodies thereof; iii. the Nederlandse
Bank (Central Bank); iv. the Nederlandse Financierings Maatschappij voor
Ontwikkelingslanden N.V. (Netherlands finance company for developing countries)
and the Nederlandse Investeringsbank voor Ontwikkelingslanden N.V. (Netherlands
investment bank for developing countries); v. such institutions, the capital
of which is wholly owned by the Government of the Kingdom of the Netherlands
or the local authorities, as may be agreed from time to time between the
competent authorities of the States;
b) in the case of Malaysia, means the Government of Malaysia
and shall include: i. the government of the states; ii. the local authorities;
iii. the statutory bodies thereof; iv. the Bank Negara Malaysia; v. such
institutions, the capital of which is wholly owned by the Government of
Malaysia or the governments of the states or the local authorities, as
may be agreed from time to time between the competent authorities of the
States.
Article 13
ROYALTIES
1. Royalties arising in one of the States and paid to
a resident of the other State may be taxed in that other State.
2. However, such royalties may also be taxed in the State
in which they arise and according to the laws of that State, but if the
recipient is the beneficial owner of the royalties the tax so charged shall
not exceed:
a) 10 per cent of the gross amount of the royalties
where the royalties are as defined in sub-paragraph (a) of paragraph 6;
and
b) 15 per cent of the gross amount of the royalties where
the royalties are as defined in sub-paragraph (b) of paragraph 6.
3. Notwithstanding the provisions of paragraph 2, approved
industrial royalties as defined in paragraph 7 of this Article derived
from Malaysia by a resident of the Netherlands shall be exempt from Malaysian
tax.
4. The competent authorities of the States shall by mutual
agreement settle the mode of application of paragraphs 2 and 3.
5. Royalties derived by a resident of the Netherlands,
being royalties that, as film rentals, are subject to the cinematograph
film-hire duty in Malaysia, shall not be liable to Malaysian tax.
6. The term "royalties" as used in this Article means
payments of any kind received as a consideration for:
a) the use of, or the right to use, any patent,
trade mark, design or model, plan, secret formula or process, copyright
of any scientific work, or for the use of, or the right to use, industrial,
commercial, or scientific equipment, or for information concerning industrial,
commercial or scientific experience;
b) the use of, or the right to use, cinematograph films,
or tapes for radio or television broadcasting, or any copyright of literary
or artistic work.
7. The term "approved industrial royalties" means royalties
as defined in sub-paragraph (a) of paragraph 6 which are approved and certified
by the competent authority of Malaysia as payable for the purpose of promoting
industrial development in Malaysia and which are payable by an enterprise
which is wholly or mainly engaged in activities falling within one of the
following classes:
a) manufacturing, assembling or processing;
b) construction, civil engineering or shipbuilding; or
c) electricity, hydraulic power, gas or water supply.
8. The provisions of paragraphs 1, 2 and 3 shall not apply
if the beneficial owner of the royalties, being a resident of one of the
States, carries on business in the other State in which the royalties arise,
through a permanent establishment situated therein and the right or property
in respect of which the royalties are paid is effectively connected with
such permanent establishment. In such case the provisions of Article 8
shall apply.
9. Royalties shall be deemed to arise in one of the States
when the payer is that State itself, a political sub-division, a local
authority or statutory body thereof, or a resident of that State. Where,
however, the person paying the royalties, whether he is a resident of one
of the States or not, has in one of the States a permanent establishment
in connection with which the obligation to pay the royalties was incurred,
and such royalties are borne by such permanent establishment, then such
royalties shall be deemed to arise in the State in which the permanent
establishment is situated.
10. Where, by reason of a special relationship between
the payer and the beneficial owner or between both of them and some other
person, the amount of the royalties, having regard to the use, right or
information for which they are paid, exceeds the amount which would have
been agreed upon by the payer and the beneficial owner in the absence of
such relationship, the provisions of this Article shall apply only to the
last-mentioned amount. In such case, the excess part of the payments shall
remain taxable according to the laws of each State, due regard being had
to the other provisions of this Agreement.
Article 14
CAPITAL GAINS
1. Gains derived by a resident of one of the States from
the alienation of immovable property referred to in Article 7 and situated
in the other State may be taxed in that other State.
2. Gains from the alienation of movable property forming
part of the business property of a permanent establishment which an enterprise
of one of the States has in the other State including such gains from the
alienation of such a permanent establishment (alone or with the whole enterprise)
may be taxed in that other State.
3. Gains from the alienation of ships or aircraft operated
in international traffic or movable property pertaining to the operation
of such ships or aircraft shall be taxable only in the State in which the
place of effective management of the enterprise is situated.
4. Gains from the alienation of any property other than
that referred to in paragraphs 1, 2 and 3 shall be taxable only in the
State of which the alienator is a resident.
5. The provisions of paragraph 4 shall not affect the
right of each of the States to levy according to its own laws tax on gains
from the alienation of shares or "jouissance" rights in a company, the
capital of which is wholly or partly divided into shares and which is a
resident of that State, derived by an individual who is a resident of the
other State and has been a resident of the first-mentioned State in the
course of the last five years preceding the alienation of the shares or
"jouissance" rights.
Article 15
PERSONAL SERVICES
1. Subject to the provisions of Articles 16, 18, 19, 20
and 21, remuneration derived by an individual who is a resident of one
of the States in respect of personal, including professional, services
shall be taxable only in that State unless the services are performed in
the other State. If the services are so performed, such remuneration as
is derived in respect thereof maybe taxed in that other State.
2. Notwithstanding the provisions of paragraph 1, remuneration
derived by an individual who is a resident of one of the States in respect
of personal, including professional, services performed in the other State
shall be taxable only in the first-mentioned State if:
a) the recipient is present in that other State
for a period or periods not exceeding in the aggregate 183 days in the
calendar year concerned, and
b) the remuneration is paid by, or on behalf of, a person
who is not a resident of that other State, and
c) the remuneration is not borne by a permanent establishment
which the individual or his employer, as the case may be, has in that other
State.
3. The term "professional services" includes independent
scientific, literary, artistic, educational or teaching activities as well
as the independent activities of physicians, lawyers, engineers, architects,
dentists and accountants.
4. Notwithstanding the preceding provisions of this Article,
remuneration in respect of an employment exercised aboard a ship or aircraft
operated in international traffic by an enterprise of one of the States
maybe taxed in that State.
Article 16
DIRECTOR'S FEES
Director's fees or other remuneration derived by a resident
of one of the States in his capacity as a member of the board of directors,
a "bestuurder" or a "commissaris" of a company which is a resident of the
other State may be taxed in that other State.
Article 17
ARTISTES AND ATHLETES
1. Notwithstanding the provisions of Article 15, income
derived by a resident of one of the States as an entertainer, such as a
theatre, motion picture, radio or television artiste, or a musician, or
as an athlete, from his personal activities as such exercised in the other
State, may be taxed in that other State.
2. Where income in respect of personal activities exercised
by an entertainer or an athlete in his capacity as such accrues not to
the entertainer or athlete himself but to another person, that income may,
notwithstanding the provisions of Articles 8 and 15, be taxed in the State
in which the activities of the entertainer or athlete are exercised.
3. The provisions of paragraphs 1 and 2 shall not apply
to remuneration or profits, salaries, wages and similar income derived
from activities exercised in one of the States by an entertainer or an
athlete if his visit to that State is substantially supported from the
public funds of the other State or a political subdivision, a local authority
or statutory body thereof.
Article 18
PENSIONS AND ANNUITIES
1. Subject to the provisions of paragraphs 2 and 4 of
Article 19, any pension or other similar remuneration for past employment
or any annuity arising in a State and paid to a resident of the other State
shall be taxable only in that other State.
2. The term "annuity" means a stated sum payable periodically
at stated times, during life or during a specified or ascertainable period
of time, under an obligation to make the payments in return for adequate
and full consideration in money or money's worth.
Article 19
GOVERNMENT SERVICE
1.
a) Remuneration, other than a pension, paid by one of
the States or a political sub-division, a local authority or statutory
body thereof to an individual in respect of services rendered to that State,
sub-division, authority or body maybe taxed only in that State.
b) However, such remuneration shall be taxable only in
the other State if the services are rendered in that State and the individual
is a resident of that State who:
i. is a national of that State; or
ii. did not becomes resident of that State solely for
the purpose of rendering the services.
2. Any pension paid by, or out of funds created by, one of
the States or a political sub-division, a local authority or statutory
body thereof to an individual in respect of services rendered to that State,
sub-division, authority or body may be taxed in that State.
3. The provisions of Articles 15, 16 and 18 shall apply
to remuneration and pensions in respect of services rendered in connection
with a business carried on by one of the States or a political sub-division,
a local authority or statutory body thereof.
4. The provisions of paragraphs 1 and 2 shall likewise
apply in respect of remuneration or pensions paid by, in the case of Malaysia,
the Bank Negara Malaysia, the Malaysian Industrial Development Authority,
the Tourist Development Corporation and other government-owned institutions
performing the functions of a governmental nature, as may be agreed from
time to time between the competent authorities of the States.
Article 20
PROFESSORS AND TEACHERS
1. An individual who, at the invitation of a university,
college, school or other similar recognized educational institution in
one of the States, visits that State for a period not exceeding two years
solely for the purpose of teaching or conducting research or both at such
educational institution and who is, or was immediately before that visit,
a resident of the other State shall be exempt from tax in the first-mentioned
State on any remuneration for such teaching or research in respect of which
he is subject to tax in the other State.
2. This Article shall not apply to income from research
if such research is undertaken primarily for the private benefit of a specific
person or persons.
Article 21
STUDENTS AND APPRENTICES
1. An individual who is a resident of one of the States
immediately before making a visit to the other State and is temporarily
present in the other State solely as a student at a recognized university,
college, school or other similar recognized educational institution in
that other State or as a business or technical apprentice therein, for
a period not exceeding 5 years from the date of his first arrival in that
other State in connection with that visit, shall be exempt from tax in
that other State on -
a) all remittances from abroad for the purposes
of his maintenance, education or training; and
b) any remuneration not exceeding U.S. $2,500 for personal
services rendered in that other State with a view to supplementing the
resources available to him for such purposes.
2. An individual who is a resident of one of the States immediately
before making a visit to the other State and is temporarily present in
the other State for the purposes of study, research or training solely
as a recipient of a grant, allowance or award from the Government of either
State or from a scientific, educational, religious or charitable organization
or under a technical assistance programme entered into by the Government
of either State for a period not exceeding three years from the date of
his first arrival in that other State in connection with the visit shall
be exempt from tax in that other State on -
a) the amount of such grant, allowance or award;
b) all remittances from abroad for the purposes of his
maintenance, education or training; and
c) any remuneration not exceeding U.S. $2,500 in respect
of services in that other State provided the services are performed in
connection with his study, research or training or are incidental thereto.
3. An individual who is a resident of one of the States immediately
before making a visit to the other State and is temporarily present in
the other State solely as an employee of, or under contract with, the Government
or an enterprise of the first-mentioned State solely for the purpose of
acquiring technical, professional or business experience for a period not
exceeding 12 months from the date of his first arrival in the other State
in connection with that visit shall be exempt from tax in that other State
on -
a) all remittances from abroad for the purposes
of his maintenance, education or training; and
b) any remuneration not exceeding U.S. $2,500 for personal
services rendered in that other State provided such services are in connection
with his studies or training or are incidental thereto.
4. For the purpose of this Article the term "Government"
shall have the same meaning as in paragraph 9 of Article 12.
Article 22
OTHER INCOME
1. Items of income of a resident of one of the States,
wherever arising, not dealt with in the foregoing Articles of this Agreement
shall be taxable only in that State except that if such income is derived
from sources within the other State, it may also be taxed in that other
State.
2. The provisions of paragraph 1 shall not apply to income,
other than income from immovable property as defined in paragraph 2 of
Article 7, if the recipient of such income, being a resident of one of
the States carries on business in the other State through a permanent establishment
situated therein, and the right or property in respect of which the income
is paid is effectively connected with such permanent establishment. In
such case the provisions of Article 8 shall apply.
Elimination of double taxation
Article 23
ELIMINATION OF DOUBLE TAXATION
1. The Netherlands, when imposing tax on its residents,
may include in the basis upon which such taxes are imposed the items of
income which, according to the provisions of this Agreement, may be taxed
in Malaysia.
2. However, where a resident of the Netherlands derives
items of income which according to Article 7, Article 8, paragraph 6 of
Article 11, paragraph 6 of Article 12, paragraph 8 of Article 13, paragraphs
1 and 2 of Article 14, paragraph 1 of Article 15, Article 16, Article 19
and paragraph 2 of Article 22 of this Agreement may be taxed in Malaysia
and are included in the basis referred to in paragraph 1, the Netherlands
shall exempt such items of income. For that purpose the said items of income
shall be deemed to be included in the total amount of the items of income
which are exempt from Netherlands tax under the provisions of Netherlands
laws for the avoidance of double taxation.
3. Further, the Netherlands shall allow a deduction from
the Netherlands tax so computed for dividends paid out of income mentioned
in subparagraph (a) of paragraph 4 which are not exempted from Netherlands
tax and for the items of income which according to paragraph 2 of Article
12, paragraph 2 of Article 13, paragraph 4 of Article 15 and Article 17
of this Agreement may be taxed in Malaysia as well as for interest to which
paragraph 3 of Article 12 and royalties to which paragraph 3 of Article
13 applies to the extent that these items are included in the basis referred
to in paragraph 1. The amount of this deduction shall be equal to the Malaysian
tax on these dividends or the other aforesaid items of income, but shall
not exceed the amount of the reduction which would be allowed if the items
of income so included were the sole items of income which are exempt from
Netherlands tax under the provisions of Netherlands laws for the avoidance
of double taxation.
4. For the purpose of paragraph 3, the term "Malaysian
tax" on the dividends or the other items of income mentioned in that paragraph
shall be deemed to include Malaysian tax which would, under the laws of
Malaysia and in accordance with this Agreement, have been payable on:
a) any income out of which the dividends are
paid, had that income not been exempted from Malaysian tax in accordance
with: i. sections 54A, 54B, 60A and 60B and Schedule 7A of the Income Tax
Act, 1967, of Malaysia; or ii. sections 21, 22, 26, 30KA and 3OQ of the
Investment Incentives Act. 1968, of Malaysia; so far as they were in force
on the date of signature of this Agreement; and iii. any other previsions
which may subsequently be introduced in Malaysia in modification of, or
in addition to, the investment incentives laws so far as they are agreed
by the competent authorities of the States to be of a substantially similar
character; but to no more than 25 per cent of the dividend paid out of
that income;
b) interest to which paragraph 3 of Article 12 applies
had that interest not been exempted from Malaysian tax in accordance with
that paragraph but to no more than 15 per cent of the interest;
c) approved industrial royalties to which paragraph 3
of Article 13 applies had those royalties not been exempted from Malaysian
tax in accordance with that paragraph but to no more than 10 per cent of
the royalties.
5. In the case of Malaysia, subject to the previsions of
the laws of Malaysia regarding the allowance as a credit against Malaysian
tax of tax payable in any country other than Malaysia (which shall not
affect the general principle thereof), the Netherlands tax payable under
the laws of the Netherlands and in accordance with the previsions of this
Agreement, whether directly or by deduction (excluding, in the case of
a dividend, tax payable in respect of the profits out of which the dividend
is paid), by a resident of Malaysia in respect of income from sources within
the Netherlands which has been subjected to tax both in the Netherlands
and Malaysia shall be allowed as a credit against Malaysian tax payable
in respect of such income, but in an amount not exceeding that portion
of Malaysian tax which such income bears to the entire income chargeable
to Malaysian tax.
6. Notwithstanding the provisions of paragraph 5 and subject
to the provisions of the laws of Malaysia regarding the allowance as a
credit against Malaysian tax of tax payable in the Netherlands (which shall
not affect the general principle hereof), in the case of a dividend paid
by a company which is a resident of the Netherlands to a company which
is a resident of Malaysia and which owns directly or indirectly at least
25 per cent of the share capital in the first-mentioned company the credit
shall be taken into account (in addition to any Netherlands tax on dividends)
in determining the Netherlands company tax payable in respect of its profits
by the company paying the dividends.
Special provisions
Article 24
NON-DISCRIMINATION
1. Nationals of one of the States shall not be subjected
in the other State to any taxation or any requirement connected therewith
which is other or more burdensome than the taxation and connected requirement
to which nationals of that other State in the same circumstances are or
may he subjected.
2. The taxation of a permanent establishment which an
enterprise of one of the States has in the other State shall not be less
favourably levied in that other State than the taxation levied on enterprises
of that other State carrying on the same activities.
3. Except where the provisions of Article 10, paragraph
8 of Article 12, or paragraph 10 of Article 13, apply, interest, royalties
and other disbursements paid by an enterprise of one of the States to a
resident of the other State shall, for the purpose of determining the taxable
profits of such enterprise, he deductible under the same conditions as
if they had been paid to a resident of the first-mentioned State. Provided
that in such cases the conditions of the domestic law of the first-mentioned
State are fulfilled.
4. Enterprises of one of the States, the capital of which
is wholly or partly owned or controlled, directly or indirectly, by one
or more residents of the other State, shall not be subjected in the first-mentioned
State to any taxation or any requirement connected therewith which is other
or more burdensome than the taxation and connected requirements to which
other similar enterprises of the first-mentioned State are or may he subjected
in the same circumstances and under the same conditions.
5. Nothing in this Article shall he construed as obliging:
a) a State to grant to individuals who are resident
of the other State any personal allowances, reliefs and reductions for
tax purposes on account of civil status or family responsibilities which
it grants to its own residents;
b) Malaysia to grant to nationals of the Netherlands
not resident in Malaysia those personal allowances, reliefs and reductions
for tax purposes which are by law available on the date of signature of
this Agreement only to nationals of Malaysia who are not resident in Malaysia.
6. In this Article, the term "taxation" means taxes which
are the subject of this Agreement.
Article 25
MUTUAL AGREEMENT PROCEDURE
1. Where a person considers that the actions of one or
both of the States result or will result for him in taxation not in accordance
with the provisions of this Agreement, he may, irrespective of the remedies
provided by the domestic law of those States, present his case to the competent
authority of the State of which he is a resident or, if his case comes
under paragraph 1 of Article 24, to that of the State of which he is a
national. The case must he presented within two years from the first notification
of the action resulting in taxation not in accordance with the provisions
of the Agreement.
2. The competent authority shall endeavour, if the objection
appears to it to be justified and if it is not itself able to arrive at
a satisfactory solution, to resolve the case by mutual agreement with the
competent authority of the other State, with a view to the avoidance of
taxation which is not in accordance with the Agreement.
3. The competent authorities of the States shall endeavour
to resolve by mutual agreement any difficulties or doubts arising as to
the interpretation or application of the Agreement. They may also consult
together for the elimination of double taxation in cases not provided for
in the Agreement.
Article 26
EXCHANGE OF INFORMATION
1. The competent authorities of the States shall exchange
such information as is necessary for carrying out the provisions of this
Agreement or for the prevention of fraud or for the administration of statutory
provisions against legal avoidance in relation to the taxes to which this
Agreement applies. Any information so exchanged shall be treated as secret
and shall be disclosed only to persons or authorities (including courts
and administrative bodies) concerned with the assessment, collection, enforcement
or prosecution in respect of, or the determination of appeals in relation
to, those taxes to which this Agreement applies.
2. In no case shall the provisions of paragraph 1 be construed
so as to impose on one of the States the obligation:
a) to carry out administrative measures at variance
with the laws and administrative practice of that or of the other State;
b) to supply information which is not obtainable under
the laws or in the normal course of the administration of that or of the
other State;
c) to supply information which would disclose any trade,
business, industrial, commercial or professional secret or trade process,
or information, the disclosure of which would be contrary to public policy
(ordre public).
Article 27
DIPLOMATIC AND CONSULAR OFFICIALS
1. Nothing in this Agreement shall affect the fiscal privileges
of diplomatic or consular officials under the general rules of international
law or under the provisions of special agreements.
2. For the purposes of this Agreement an individual, who
is a member of a diplomatic or consular mission of one of the States in
the other State or in a third State and who is a national of the sending
State, shall be deemed to be a resident of the sending State if he is subjected
therein to the same obligations in respect of taxes on income as are residents
of that State.
3. The Agreement shall not apply to international organizations,
to organs or officials thereof and to individuals who are members of a
diplomatic or consular mission of a third State, being present in one of
the States and who are not subjected in either State to the same obligations
in respect of taxes on income as are residents of that State.
Final provisions
Article 28
ENTRY INTO FORCE
This Agreement shall come into force on the thirtieth
day after the date on which the Government of the Kingdom of Netherlands
and the Government of Malaysia exchange notes through the diplomatic channel
notifying each other that the last of such things has been done as is necessary
to give this Agreement the force of law in Malaysia and in the Netherlands,
as the case may be, and thereupon this Agreement shall have effect:
a) in the case of the Netherlands: for taxable
years and periods beginning on or after 1 January 1985;
b) in the case of Malaysia: for the year of assessment
beginning on 1 January 1986, and subsequent years of assessment.
Article 29
TERMINATION
This Agreement shall remain in force indefinitely but
either State may, on or before June 30 in any calendar year after the year
1988, give to the other State, through diplomatic channels. written notice
of termination. In such event the Agreement shall cease to have effect:
a) in the case of the Netherlands for taxable
years and periods beginning after the end of the calendar year in which
the notice of termination has been given;
b) in the case of Malaysia for years of assessment beginning
on or alter the first day of January in the second calendar year following
that in which such notice has been given.
Protocol of 7 March 1988
I. Ad Article 11
Where, for the purposes of Article VII of the Agreement
between the Government of Malaysia and the Government of the Republic of
Singapore of the Avoidance of Double Taxation and the Prevention of Fiscal
Evasion with respect to Taxes on Income signed in Singapore on 26th December,
1968;
a) a dividend was paid by a company; i. which
was resident in both Malaysia and Singapore and the meeting at which the
dividend was declared was held in Singapore; or ii. which was resident
in Singapore and at the time of payment of that dividend the company declared
itself to be a resident of Malaysia; the dividend shall be deemed to have
been paid by a company resident in Malaysia;
b) a dividend was paid by a company; i. which was resident
in both Malaysia and Singapore and the meeting at which the dividend was
declared was held in Singapore; or ii. which was resident in Malaysia and
at the time of payment of that dividend the company declared itself to
be a resident of Singapore; the dividend shall be deemed to have been paid
by a company not resident of Malaysia.
II. Ad Article 12
The term "approved loan" means any loan or other indebtedness
approved by the competent authority of Malaysia as being made or incurred
for the purpose of financing development projects or for the purchase of
capital equipment for development projects in Malaysia. The term "long-term
loan" means any loan made or funds deposited as defined in Section 2 of
the Income Tax Act, 1967, of Malaysia.
III. Ad Articles 11, 12 and 13
Where tax has been levied in excess of the amount of tax
chargeable under the provisions of Articles 11, 12 or 13, applications
for the restitution of the excess amount to tax have to be lodged with
the competent authority of the State having levied the tax, within a period
of three years after the expiration of the calendar year in which the tax
has been levied.
IV. Ad Article 16
It is understood that "bestuurder" or "commissaris" of
a Netherlands company means persons who are nominated as such by the general
meeting of shareholders or by any other competent body of such company
and are charged with the general management of the company and the supervision
thereof, respectively.
V. Ad Articles 19 and 23
It is understood that the provisions of paragraph 1 of
Article 19 do not prevent the Netherlands from applying the provisions
of paragraphs 1 and 2 of Article 23 of the Agreement.
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