PM tells Waythamoorthy to toe the line

Posted on 29 August 2013 - 05:25pm

Last updated on 29 August 2013 - 09:14pm

Hemananthani Sivanandam newsdesk@thesundaily.com 

PUTRAJAYA (Aug 29, 2013): Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Abdul Razak has advised P. Waythamoorthy to toe the line with the policies and decisions taken by the government.

"As a member of the administration, we must be on the same wavelength, we must have one voice," said Najib in a press conference after chairing the Bumiputra Economic Action Council meeting at his office today.

He said this when asked to comment on calls by three of his Cabinet ministers urging Waythamoorty, who is a deputy minister, to resign.

Recently, Waythamoorthy had questioned the police's explanation on the shooting of the 04 gang members in Penang, suggesting that they were shot at point blank range.

Waythamoorthy said it appeared that the police did not shoot the five gang members in self-defence.

His comments however did not sit well with several ministers, including Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi and Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Tun Hussein, who said Waythamoorthy should quit if "he is not able to value collective responsibility in the government."

Meanwhile Najib remained coy when asked to confirm if the government would implement the Goods and Services Tax (GST).

"GST is not a new matter, we have been having dialogues and discussions about this.

"But whether or not it is included in the (2014) budget, you have to wait. I don't make budget announcements earlier, but good try," he told journalists when asked on the speculation that a 4% GST will be introduced in the 2014 Budget, which will be tabled in Parliament in October.

Earlier today, Treasury Secretary-General Tan Sri Dr Mohd Irwan Serigar Abdullah, said the implementation of the GST is a must and not an option.

He said the GST would be included in Budget 2014 proposals and will only be in place in 2015 if the government announces the measures in the coming budget tabulation.