WHILE the promise to make the perpetrators of the 1Malaysia Development Bhd scandal pay made headlines yesterday, it is still the economy that northern Johor folk are more concerned about.

In his speech at Bersatu’s first-year anniversary celebration in Muar on Saturday, Muhyiddin Yassin promised that the opposition coalition Pakatan Harapan will abolish the goods and services tax (GST), reform government institutions, and institute a royal commission of inquiry into 1MDB in its first 100 days in office.

But those promises did not excite Bukit Pasir resident M. Jegatheeswaran, although he said it was a good start.

“GST is not the main problem. Wages are. I have worked for 20 years and my salary is just RM2,000 a month,” said Jegatheeswaran who works as a foreman.

He said that if wages were higher he wouldn’t feel the pinch from GST.

The 40-year-old single income-earner, who has one child, said his salary has been stagnant for five years now.

“I’m ready to give someone else (PH) a try,” said Jegatheeswaran, after taking a selfie with DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng.

Jegatheeswaran had come to the local coffee shop in Bukit Pasir in the rain yesterday evening to listen to the PH leaders.

Besides Lim, the other leaders were Pagoh MP and Bersatu president Muhyiddin, Bakri MP Er Teck Hwa, Kluang MP Liew Chin Tong and Betayan assemblyman Chua Wee Beng.

“I don’t care about the allegations of corruption by Barisan Nasional. Many are corrupt anyway but I want them to make the economy better. And I want to test them out this time.

“The economy is very bad now. My salary rose slowly during the Dr Mahathir Mohamad years when we could still save and buy a house.

“I only earned RM1,000 plus then but I could save. Now I make RM2,000 but my family can’t save any money. They raise the petrol price every week now and after that everyone has to run to the stations to fill up before the next increase,” said Jegatheeswaran, who voted BN the last four elections.

Auto repair shop owners, Lim and his wife Angeline, said GST did not affect their business the last two years.

“People still have to fix and service their cars when they are due for repair,” said Lim as he ate lunch at the same coffee shop in Bukit Pasir.

But Angeline noted that dining out for the family of three has been more expensive the past year with “6% GST and 10% service charge”.

At the same row of shops Muhyiddin was holding his second meet-the-voters session in Bukit Gambir yesterday, pharmacist Siow Ruey Feng found some of the promises made by PH to be refreshing.

“I think it’s about time they separated the finance and prime minister positions. How to get new ideas and check and balance if both positions are held by the same person,” said Siow, as he attended to a customer.

Siow said Malaysia should emulate countries in Hong Kong and Taiwan by separating the posts.

“I also like the part where PH has promised to limit the term of the prime minister to two. There’s enough talent in the country to take over.”

On the business end, Siow said GST has affected the pharmaceutical business.

“Customers have cut their consumption of supplements and they no longer spend as much on beauty care products. When GST was first implemented, we saw a 30% drop in sales.”

Although there’s no GST on vegetables, wholesaler K.H. Lee said Muar folk have reduced their consumption of imported vegetables by 30%. – September 11, 2017.