KUALA LUMPUR: The government may have deferred the second reading of the Goods and Services Tax (GST) Bill, but there will be no let-up until it is dropped altogether, said Solidariti Anak Muda Malaysia (SAMM) president, Badrul Hisham.
“The postponement is a only temporary respite. It is not the end. We will continue to push BN to cancel the GST altogether. We are simply not ready for it, “ he told FMT. ARTIKEL PENUH (MORE) »
KUALA LUMPUR – Malaysia’s government put off a politically risky plan to enforce a 4 per cent goods and service tax (GST), cheering opposition critics who claimed it would burden the poor.
Prime Minister Najib Razak’s administration had previously planned to debate legislation in Parliament later this month to impose the tax by 2011 in an effort to boost revenue by about RM1 billion ($421 million) annually.
The plan stirred fierce criticism from social activists and opposition parties, who insisted the tax would cause inflation to rise and unnecessarily trouble poor and middle-class earners.
Second Finance Minister Ahmad Husni Hanadzlah said on Saturday the government will indefinitely delay plans to debate the legislation until it can convince people that the tax would aid the country’s economic well-being.
“It will depend on our engagement with the public and acceptance of the people on its implementation,” Mr Ahmad Husni was quoted as saying by Bernama. “We do not want to put a time frame on that.”
Analysts have said the sales tax might spur public dissatisfaction against Mr Najib’s ruling coalition, the Barisan Nasional, which is expected to call for elections in the state of Sarawak sometime over the next year.
“The question is which of these they want to secure – a balanced budget or an election victory,” Mr Azrul Azwar Ahmad Tajudin, Chief Economist at Bank Islam in Kuala Lumpur, was quoted as saying by Reuters.
He added: “This is a policy flip-flop. Back-pedalling will always send the wrong signals to the market and to foreign investors.” ARTIKEL PENUH (MORE) »
Parti Sosialis Malaysia (PSM) called on the BN-led government today to hold a referendum to determine the extent of the people’s agreement – or otherwise – with the proposed Goods and Services Tax (GST).
The party also expressed dissatisfaction with a minister’s statement yesterday that the government would “engage with the public” and get its opinion before tabling the government’s GST bill for second reading at Parliament. ARTIKEL PENUH (MORE) »
KUALA LUMPUR — Opposition parties are crowing victory with the delay in tabling the Goods and Services Tax (GST) Bill which analysts say is linked to the Najib Administration’s desire to win elections over balancing the budget.
PAS and Parti Sosialis Malaysia (PSM) hailed Second Finance Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Husni Hanadzlah’s announcement yesterday to delay the Bill is a victory for the people and chided the government’s excuse of seeking public feedback when pulling the Bill from debate when Parliament opens this week. ARTIKEL PENUH (MORE) »
The Protes coalition of activist groups and opposition parties against the Goods and Services Tax (GST) bill announced today that the demonstration planned for tomorrow at Parliament has been cancelled.
Protes said this follows Second Finance Minister Ahmad Husni Hanadzlah’s announcement that the bill, scheduled for debate when Parliament reconvenes tomorrow, has been postponed to enable the government to get more public feedback on the contentious tax.
The coalition yesterday declared a preliminary victory over Husni’s announcement, describing it as a vindication of the coalition’s public campaign against the GST, which they said would burden lower-income earners. ARTIKEL PENUH (MORE) »
On 20th. October 2004, PSM led seventy people in protesting against the GST at the Finance Ministry in Putrajaya. A Banner then read “ GST is a burden to the people” “No to GST” “Rich get Richer, the poor gets poorer”. At that time, 30 organisation supported PSM’s call including MTUC, WDC, Opposition party and Student groups. PSM then said that GST is an attempt to shift the cost from the capitalist to the consumer, it is an impact of neo-liberal policy, GST widens the income disparity between the rich and the poor, GST will increase inflation rate and cost of living. The tax was to have started in 2007 but it was shelved. PSM claimed credit for leading the opposition against the GST then. ARTIKEL PENUH (MORE) »
Organisers of the anti-GST protest on Monday are urging the police to give the demonstrators one hour to express their opposition to the new tax, which they said would punish the poor.
“The GST (goods and services tax) is going to affect the livelihood of 85 percent of the population who today do not earn enough to pay income tax,” said said PSM secretary-general S Arutchelvan.
He described Monday’s protest to be held outside the Parliament House in Kuala Lumpur as “ a common thing in any democratic society”.
“As such, PSM calls upon the police not to disrupt or create unnecessary obstacles to the public on this day. ARTIKEL PENUH (MORE) »
On 15th. March, on the opening day of the new session of Parliament, PSM along with the Protest Coalition will exercise out rights to freedom of assembly and conduct an one hour peaceful protest and picket against the implementation of the GST. ARTIKEL PENUH (MORE) »
