Irrefutable proof people prefer GST needed, says Guan Eng

Ragananthini Vethasalam Ragananthini Vethasalam Updated 6 years ago · Published on 4 Oct 2019 10:56AM · 6 Comments

Finance Minister Lim Guan Eng says it is up to the Pakatan presidential council to decide whether to reinstate GST. – The Malaysian Insight pic by Kamal Ariffin, October 4, 2019.

THERE must be “incontrovertible” evidence that the people want the goods and services tax to be reintroduced for the government to consider the move, said Lim Guan Eng.

“If the people want it, we need a clear mandate from them,” the finance minister told reporters after a gathering with ministry staff in Putrajaya this morning.

He said in last year’s general election, Malaysians had made clear their opposition to the 6% GST, which was introduced by the former Barisan Nasional government.

Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad yesterday said Putrajaya will mull bringing back GST to replace the sales and services tax – which was implemented on September 1 last year after GST was abolished – if that is what the people want.

“I think he (Dr Mahathir) was just replying to the press, that if the people want it, we will consider it. But in the last elections, it was made very clear that the people rejected the 6% GST,” said Lim.

“Unless you have incontrovertible evidence, you will not be able to define and determine the mandate of the people.”

He said the Pakatan Harapan administration has managed to contain inflation after scrapping GST.

It is up to the PH presidential council to decide whether to reinstate the tax regime, he added.

“This has to be decided by the PH presidential council. It is not for me alone to decide.

“The council will decide, but until that decision is made, we have to respect the will and mandate of the people, who voted for PH in the last elections.

“One of our promises was to abolish the 6% GST. We have delivered on that promise, and among the benefits (of scrapping GST) is that we have controlled inflation.” – October 4, 2019.

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Comments

  • MIER boss & one man statement does not mean the people need to reinstate GST and the PM needs to talk after thinking rather shooting himself like he knows everything in this country.

    Posted 6 years ago by [email protected] · Reply

  • What irrefutable proof? I am a people also but I have never been asked of my opinion? Dont put words in our mouths! You all should use your time better by ultimately getting Dr M to resign asap for the good of this nation. Do that,then it will be most beneficial for this country than any GST whatever!

    Posted 6 years ago by Amigo sabah · Reply

  • No lah, no GST. Very soon, we know you will increase it from 6% to 7%, 8%, 9% 10% or higher. This is a fantastic tax with which government will use freely to generate incomes. Housing will soon have GST. Transport is definitely under GST. Medicine also will subject to GST. Poor people like me cannot tahan, my retirement saving also has not taken into account of paying this tax.

    Posted 6 years ago by Tanahair Ku · Reply

  • In the first place, why did Mahathir even reply as such, "if the people want it"? Didn't he + PH go into the last elections assured that the rakyat did not want it?

    So what happened between then and now? Certainly, the country has regressed on many fronts. With that, does it make sense to even think the rakyat want to see a return of GST? Good grief! You PH chaps are still struggling to come to grips with your political responsibilities - and the common man cries!

    So why would he then want GST to return? As good as tax system it was (in theory), Malaysia's GST regime nevertheless was encumbered with administrative compliance that was a headache and time-inefficient. Couple that with the slow refunds, and you truly had a burdensome system.

    PH has yet to resolve the administrative lag within the civil service; I doubt adding another compliance requirement for businesses and the rakyat would endear them to the people.

    Maybe you guys should go for broke, and really have a word with Mahathir .

    Posted 6 years ago by Rock Hensem · Reply

  • Why not ask the rakyat if they still think Tun should continue leading the country or step aside for Dsai

    Posted 6 years ago by Jeffrey Ng · Reply

  • Our PM is U-Tun.

    Posted 6 years ago by Vincent Lim · Reply