GST is propery planned move, says Wahid

October 31, 2013

He also said that the government had mechanisms in place to prevent abuse.

KUALA LUMPUR: Proper planning was made by the government to implement the Goods and Services Tax (GST) in April 2015 to ensure it will not burden the people, especially the low income earners, said Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Abdul Wahid Omar.

He said this could be seen from several packages provided by the government in a move to reduce the impact of the GST implementation.

“For example, the government provides an additional RM300 in BR1M (1Malaysia People’s Aid) during the first year of GST implementation.

“We will also increase BR1M from RM500 to RM650 a year and for those with income of between RM3,000 and RM4,000, we give them BR1M of RM450.

“And for the medium income earners, there are also many programmes, like the personal income tax relief of RM2,000.

“This is among the off-set packages to help the people with the new tax structure,” he said in an interview with TV3 last night.

The programme was hosted by Ahmad A. Talib, Executive Director of News and Editorial Operations at Media Prima Bhd.

Stressing that food items like rice, flour, chicken, fish and meat were GST exempt, Abdul Wahid said the GST rate set by the government at six percent was also very reasonable.

He said the government had given notice on the implementation of the GST since 2006 and would use the 17 months before its implementation to explain the tax structure so that all parties including companies could be ready for it.

Calling for the GST not to be politicised, Abdul Wahid further stressed that the GST was a tax that was fair to all.

Asked if there could be abuse by business people once the GST was implemented, he said the government had mechanisms to prevent this notably from the Domestic Trade, Cooperatives and Consumerism Ministry.

-Bernama