Mrs Alice Lau Mak Yee-ming retired as Commissioner of Inland Revenue with effect from 6th December 2009. Mrs Lau has been replaced by Mr Chu Yam-yuen, previously the Deputy Commissioner of Inland Revenue.
Mr Chu became an Assistant Assessor in July 1975 and has been employed by the Inland Revenue Department (“IRD”) ever since. Mr Chu has had considerable experience working with various departments within the IRD but, in my opinion, the most significant being his direct involved with the assessment, objection and appeal procedures relating to corporate taxpayers. Mr Chu is very familiar with the problems and issues which taxpayers face and find very frustrating.
I wait with interest to see the impact that he will have on the IRD and whether he will be able to facilitate a mutual understanding between the IRD and taxpayers as to the correct interpretation of the provisions of the Inland Revenue Ordinance and case law precedents, in particular those relating to offshore profits and income.
I wish Mr Chu well in his new office.
