GST rate may be less than 16% - Ahmad Maslan

Sunday, 20 October 2013 21:23

MELAKA - The tax to be levied under the goods and service tax (GST) may be less than 16%, that is, the amount under the existing sales and services tax (SST) system, says Deputy Finance Minister Datuk Ahmad Maslan.

He also did not see the new tax being a burden to the people.

"If we look at other countries that have implemented the GST, it is less than 16%," he told reporters here today.

He had earlier officiated the High Performance Organisational Leadership Seminar at the Royal Malaysian Customs Academy at Bukit Baru, with the participation of 100 customs officers from throughout the country.

Also present was the Customs Department Deputy Director General Datuk Zainul Abidin Taib.

According to Ahmad, the government began looking at the GST in 2005 and planned for its implementation two years later, but had to postpone this due to a number of reasons, including objections from certain quarters.

He said the rate and date of implementation of the GST may be announced by Prime Minister and Finance Minister Datuk Seri Najib Abdul Razak when he tables the Budget 2014 on Oct 25.

Two days ago, Ahmad had hinted at the possibility of the much talked-about GST not being implemented under the Budget 2014.

Meanwhile, the Deputy Finance Minister said the Customs Department had collected RM25.8 billion as of last Thursday for 2013.

He expressed confidence that RM34.4 billion would be collected by the department by year-end. – Bernama