People calling for more information on the GST

Published: Monday October 28, 2013 MYT 12:00:00 AM 

Updated: Monday October 28, 2013 MYT 7:14:09 AM

BY IVAN LOH, MANJIT KAUR, AND ELWEEN LOKE

IPOH: A quick public poll shows that many want the Government to explain how the Goods and Services Tax (GST) works before it comes into force.

Nazaba Abdul Halim, 34, said he did not know much about the GST and what kind of effect it would have on his finances.

“There is only limited information on how the system works,” said Nazaba, who mans the customer service counter at a hospital here.

He wants the Government to explain the GST in detail, through seminars, in pamphlets or newspaper articles so that people would have a better grasp of the new tax system which will be implemented in April 2015.

“Also, the Government needs to convince Malaysians that the GST will make life better for the poor,” he said.

Businessman Y.T. Kong, 38, said people were confused over the GST because of the arguments about it that were going on between politicians and even lawmakers.

“The ruling coalition tells us the new tax system is good for us but the Opposition says it is bad, and they attack each other to win support from the people.

“But at the end of the day, we the people are still ignorant about the GST,” he said.

Maybe Malaysians should take the initiative to study the system and draw their own conclusions instead of being influenced by those politicians who would say anything just to curry favour, Kong said.

Wah Fang Yi, 41, a mother of three, said the increasing prices of foodstuff and other goods, coupled with previous reductions in subsidies, were already burdening the people.

She believes the introduction of the GST would only add more misery for those who were already struggling to manage their household finances.

“Everything we eat, touch or even look at now is so expensive.

“How are we going to cope with this tax?” she said.

“We need to use laptops, mobile phones and electrical appliances, and the GST is not going to help.”

Wah added that the GST should not be implemented yet, in view of subsidies getting reduced.