Last weekend, IRAS had the pleasure of hosting Revenue Games 2026, our biennial sports event that brought together colleagues from the Inland Revenue Board of Malaysia (IRBM) to Singapore. 🇸🇬
The friendly competition across various sports was a great way to build relationships and foster camaraderie. It was especially meaningful for us to have shared a joint championship with IRBM for the first time in a decade. 🏆
✨ Beyond the games, we also exchanged insights on e-invoicing implementation, strengthening our partnership and our shared commitment to delivering excellent tax services.
A big thank you to IRBM and the #IRASFam for an exciting weekend of teamwork, sportsmanship, and great memories.
Follow along as our content creation intern, Deseree, brings you through a day working in IRAS' Corporate Communications team 💼 From filming content to collaborating with cross-divisional colleagues, see the collaborative environment and growth opportunities that await at IRAS ✨
✋🏻 Keen to join the #IRASFam? Our Corporate Communications team is hiring! Apply now at: https://go.gov.sg/apply-iras-cc
𝗜𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗰𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗮𝗯𝗼𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗴𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗻𝘀 𝗳𝗿𝗮𝘂𝗱 𝗱𝗲𝘁𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻
Fraudsters are getting smarter, using increasingly sophisticated networks to hide their tracks. How can tax administrations keep up? 🤔
Last week, the #IRASfam welcomed a delegation from Indonesia's Directorate General of Taxes (DGT), led by Head of Subdirectorate of Preliminary Investigation, Mr Rachmad Auladi, for an insightful exchange on tackling such challenges.
During the study visit, both delegations strengthened bilateral cooperation by exchanging experiences and best practices in applying AI to tax investigation functions. Our IRAS representatives shared insights on our journey in responsible AI adoption and demonstrated our AI tools that help investigators visualise complex entity relationships in investigations and detect anomalies more effectively.
AI and Learning in Action.
The #IRASFam recently participated in a study trip to Shenzhen, organised by the Contact Centre Association of Singapore (CCAS), visiting four leading innovation centres: Tencent, Huawei, Taiji Digital, and Huize Holdings.
What stood out most from this study visit? 🤖 Moving beyond theoretical AI concepts to witness real-world implementations in action. From AI voice bots achieving remarkable accuracy in handling routine enquiries to sophisticated sentiment analysis monitoring interaction quality in real-time, the demonstrations at the innovation centres showcased genuine potential for transforming service delivery.
How is regional cooperation paving the way for the future of tax administration across ASEAN?🤝
Our International Tax and Relations Division colleagues, alongside MOF, represented #IRASFam at the 21st Working Group on ASEAN Forum on Taxation in Oct 2025 – a platform where ASEAN Member States come together to exchange views and learn from one another on the evolving landscape of international tax challenges.
The discussions covered key international tax issues including transparency, global mobility and Amount B implementation, as well as transformative tax administration initiatives like e-invoicing that are reshaping the taxpayer experience 💡
Singapore's Tax Innovation on the World Stage
As global economies evolve at unprecedented speed, tax administrations face a fundamental challenge: how to tackle tax gaps while reducing compliance burden on taxpayers and maintaining trust and transparency in tax administration. This was the central theme behind discussions at the 18th Annual Plenary Meeting of the OECD Forum on Tax Administration (FTA) in Cape Town, South Africa, where the #IRASFam participated alongside tax leaders from over 50 jurisdictions.
During the panel discussion on Tax Administration 3.0, our Commissioner Ow Fook Chuen shared IRAS' digital transformation journey, emphasising how strategic partnerships within our tax ecosystem – from platform intermediaries to solution providers – have been instrumental in digitalising and simplifying the taxpaying experience.
This week, the #IRASfam welcomed a delegation from the French Direction Générale des Finances Publiques (DGFiP), led by Deputy Director-General Guillaume Robert, for an insightful study visit. We were also welcomed at a reception generously hosted by Ambassador of France to Singapore Stephen Marchisio.
The visit focused on strengthening bilateral tax cooperation through sharing best practices in digital transformation, compliance risk management, and understanding GST risks in e-commerce. What emerged was a striking alignment in our strategic approaches: both tax authorities face similar challenges and share comparable approaches to innovation and promoting voluntary compliance.
Our discussions highlighted innovative nudging strategies, including targeted social media campaigns to educate taxpayers about emerging areas. Both countries are also leveraging data sharing and environmental scanning to identify compliance risks, particularly in digital businesses.
How can AI help us serve taxpayers better? This was at the heart of our showcase at yesterday’s Public Service Conference, where we shared how the #IRASfam is leveraging AI to transform taxpayer experiences – alongside other agencies driving innovation across the public sector💡
Our teams from the Taxpayer eXperience Division and Data & Digital Ecosystems Division took the lead at our "AIRAS: Integrating AI in IRAS to Transform Taxpayer Experience" booth. We showcased two in-house AI solutions – SWEE, which supports our officers in crafting clearer email responses, and SQM, our internal service quality monitoring tool that delivers tailored assessments aligned with IRAS service standards. A key moment was presenting these innovations directly to Coordinating Minister for Public Services and Minister-in-charge of the Public Service, Mr Chan Chun Sing, during his ministerial tour.
The #IRASFam earlier attended the 14th IMF-Japan High-Level Tax Conference in Tokyo alongside colleagues from the Ministry of Finance, connecting with tax professionals from across the region.
Singapore was represented by IRAS and MOF, including IRAS Assistant Commissioner of Infocomm Division Yap Mia Kai, IRAS Director of Goods and Services Tax Division Lim Siew Gim, MOF Deputy Director of Tax Policy Wendy Leo, and MOF Associate of Tax Policy (Tax Strategy) Yeo Wei Quan.
Last week, the #IRASFam attended the 6th Belt and Road Initiative Tax Administration Cooperation Forum (BRITACOF) in Kathmandu, Nepal.
During the forum's second segment on Taxpayer Service Product Portfolio, Assistant Commissioner of the Taxpayer Experience Division Raymond Tan outlined IRAS' transformation journey towards service excellence. He shared how IRAS has evolved from a traditional “tax collector” to a “trusted partner” - delivering digital, empathetic, and personalised services through simplified processes, seamless platforms, and targeted engagement. This shift has improved the taxpayer experience and set new standards for public service delivery.
AC Raymond also moderated the subsequent panel discussion, guiding meaningful conversations on innovative taxpayer service approaches. The dialogue centred on advancing digitalisation, fostering service innovation, and strengthening taxpayer trust.
The #IRASFam joined over 200 delegates, including tax commissioners and representatives from 19 Asia-Pacific jurisdictions, for the 54th SGATAR Annual Meeting held in Brisbane.
Here are some key highlights from our participation:
🤖 Commissioner Ow Fook Chuen presented IRAS' AI strategy, showcasing our GenAI use-cases across various functions;
💼 We shared IRAS’ transfer pricing considerations for intra-group services transactions, balancing tax compliance with a conducive business environment;
🔒 We outlined our digital transformation journey and risk management approach to sustain gains and combat risks such as cybersecurity threats;
📊 We detailed our approach to managing small business tax compliance through initiatives like Simplified Record Keeping and Seamless Filing From Software.
Earlier this week, the #IRASFam came together for an inspiring town hall centred on the theme 'Together as One IRAS'.
Commissioner Ow Fook Chuen delivered an insightful opening address, sharing his reflections from his first quarter at the helm of IRAS. He outlined his observations and insights from these initial months, before setting out the vision and strategic direction for the organisation's future.
Another highlight of the session was the recognition of our LEA:D Award recipients. One of the winners, Nancy Ng, Deputy Director of the Small Business Division (Business Operations Branch), represented her team in showcasing their initiative 'IRAS as the Single Source of Truth for Self-Employed Persons' Data ' – a project that earned them the prestigious Chairman's Award. This initiative streamlines income declaration with greater convenience for all self-employed persons, who now need to declare their income to only one agency – IRAS.