it is guaranteed, as long as its your 1st property for which you are applying for the discount. each person only gets the discount once. only problem is LHDN sometimes makes a mistake and charges the full one, and then its up to your lawyer to appeal.

i guess in this situation your lawyer is worried that you have claimed the half stamp duty before, and as such will not be eligible this time. and since he has to confirm with your loan lawyer that you have paid the stamp duty, he wants to protect himself 1st.

but i think most lawyers will just trust their clients over something small like this. some more you have signed a statutory declaration saying this is your 1st time claiming.

sigh... lawyers

half stamp duty is only applicable for MOT. for s&p, the stamp duty is only rm10 per copy... half wont save you much.

my lawyer gave this to me:

"50% of the stamp duty chargeable on any instrument of transfer for the purchase of one unit of residential property only by an individual not costing more than rm250k per unit..."

residential = house, condominium unit, apartment or flat built as a dwelling house.