PM: GST proposal will be tabled in Parliament's current session
2009/11/24
By Zainul Arifin
NEW YORK: The government will table for first reading a proposal for the implementation of the Goods and Services Tax (GST) at the end of the current parliamentary session, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak told Malaysian journalists in New York.
Najib said the Cabinet decided at its meeting last week for the tabling to allow for discussions and feedback from the public.
"(If we decide to implement) it would at a rate that will not be a burden to the poor, or the middle class.
"(The rate) will not lead to inflation," Najib said, suggesting that the rate for the proposed GST may be less than the current sales and services rate of between five per cent and 10 per cent.
The GST is aimed at widening the tax base and should help in reducing the country's deficit.
In the region, only Malaysia, Brunei and Myanmar do not employ the GST as part of their governments' tax regimes.
Najib was on his first visit to the US as PM. He met fund managers and businessmen in several meetings.
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Reader's Comments
(Latest Comments Displayed First)
dave:
What a load of bull. GST burden on the poor is always going to be higher. Any tax break will not be of used since they usually dont pay taxes anyway. Subsidy and its implementation are not free. No way the poor are not going to be unaffected.
john:
The on-again, off-again proposed GST law appears to have a new lease of life. The existing Sales and Services Law has been utilised illegaly by the Customs Department for about the last 5 years since the High Court ruled against the Government in the Shell Sarawat case. The sooner the Custom Department operate within the Laws of this country the better instead of acting outside the Laws of this country by abusing the executive powers given to them under the present invalid S & S Law.
Azra Azmi:
I can't agree more with Mr. Ram. No matter what the govt does to "kononnya" reduce budget deficit and widen the tax base,it will account to zero judging from the recent Auditor General's report. It seems that wastage and manipulation of tax payer's money is the order of the day when managing public funds. Surprisingly, the govt dare to even impose the RM50 tax on card hoders (at the expense of the prudent ones of course) when it is the govt that should be prudent.
Ram:
Even if the GST was imposed on 1% on goods & services, it was still and extra expenses to the poor. By what means is it not a burden to the poor? The introduction of GST would not help in reducing the country's deficit if the efficient use of public fund was not practised.
