"Tukar" Program Has Nothing to Do with GST

KUALA LUMPUR, 10 APRIL, 2012: The implementation of the Retail Shop Transformation Programme (Tukar) has nothing to do with the proposal to introduce the Goods and Services Tax (GST), the Dewan Rakyat was told today.

Instead, Deputy Domestic Trade, Cooperatives and Consumerism Minister Datuk Tan Lian Hoe said the programme was aimed at helping retailers to modernise their traditional shops so that they could compete with larger retail outlets.

She said this to refute the allegation made by Nurul Izzah Anwar's (PKR-Lembah Pantai) that the program was introduced with the aim to prepare the retailers in the country to implement GST.

"The response given by the retailers participating in the programme showed that their daily sales had also increased by up to 400 per cent," Tan said.

In reply to Datuk Dr Mohamad Shahrum Osman's (BN-Lipis) original question, Tan said a total of 519 retail shops, including cooperative shops, had been modernised nationwide last year, surpassing the initial target of 500 shops.

As at April 6 this year, 107 shops had been modernised, while 393 others were at various levels of implementation, she added. -- BERNAMA