Anwar's about-turn on GST

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 31, 2013 - 11:57

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KUALA LUMPUR

OPPOSITION Leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim made an aboutturn yesterday when he admitted the Goods and Services Tax (GST) was a good and efficient taxation system.

The GST, at a rate of six per cent, was announced by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak during tabling of the 2014 Budget last Friday, and will be implemented on April 1, 2015.

Anwar, the Permatang Pauh MP, acknowledged he was aware of the GST when he was deputy prime minister (and also finance minister) in 1993, via former finance minister Tun Daim Zainuddin.

"I agree the GST system is efficient but I did not implement it... there was a reason why I did not implement it," he said when delivering his keynote address at the 2014 Budget and GST briefing in Parliament.

According to him, two aspects must be looked at first, before the taxation system, which had long been in use in developed countries and neighbouring countries like Singapore and Indonesia, could be implemented.

"We must ensure the income of the people is high and we must also ensure the nation has a good taxation structure," he said. — Bernama