Before Irwan Serigar Abdullah from the Ministry of Finance goes on and justifies the need to impose the goods and services tax (GST), tolls on roads, PTPTN and other duties on goods and services, I would like to know why the government of the day is in such a horrible financial situation.

Surely the rakyat would like to know the reasons for the imposition of these financial burdens, let alone their justifications. For heaven’s sake, do not say that it is alright for the government to impose them since other countries have similar taxes. This convoluted and insane logic has to stop.

Irwan’s many years in the Finance Ministry do not qualify him to justify the imposition of these burdens. He may be a civil servant good in explaining what he has been directed to do so by politicians, but surely he should pretend that he has the answers to the situation.

I am sure he knows that without financial mismanagement resulting in hundreds of shady deals, the country’s finances would not be in such a bad state of affairs. In other words, Barisan Nasional cannot mess up the economic situation and yet expect the rakyat to shoulder the burden.

We don’t need the likes of Irwan to tell us what why we need these financial impositions and how the country’s financial position would be compromised without them. What gives him the confidence to say that the country’s financial position is still intact, but taxes have to be paid?

Over the years, the country has been basically looted of its resources through a combination of mismanagement, massive scandals, corruption, and illegal payoffs, made much worse by the present regime.

The looting of Malaysia’s sovereign fund, 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB), highlighted the colossal nature of the corruption that involved leading politicians and their relatives and friends, not just at the domestic level, but international. Even foreign countries are investigating the transfer of funds and illicit purchases of luxury items costing Malaysian taxpayers billions of ringgit.

The BN regime under the leadership of Najib Razak is responsible for the current financial mess. How the country is going to ride this mess is a question in the minds of concerned Malaysians, opposition parties, and some foreign governments.

This is the reason why the BN regime’s hold on power is not tenable, and why the opposition front is at pains to inform Malaysians that they have no choice but to get rid of this corruption-infested government in the coming general election.

I think Irwan, given his opportunistic short-sightedness, thinks that taxes such as the GST or tolls on highways will help heal the country of his deep economic malaise. He is terribly wrong. There are already writings on the walls saying that these financial impositions might not save the government in power. Sorry to say, by trying to save the government, Irwan may merely be prolonging its stay for a major catastrophe to unfold.

* P. Ramasamy is Penang Deputy Chief Minister II.

* This is the opinion of the writer or publication and does not necessarily represent the views of The Malaysian Insight. Article may be edited for brevity and clarity.