Tighten governance before raising taxes

Published: Friday December 6, 2013 MYT 12:00:00 AM 

Updated: Friday December 6, 2013 MYT 7:36:14 AM

RESPONSIBLE governance is ensuring that the rights of every citizen is protected.

It is to ensure that the country does not go bankrupt. It cannot put the burden onto the people to pay up for what is the sole responsibility of the Government to ensure that there are funds available and not tax the people in various forms.

Of late we have seen attempts to raise various forms of “ taxes” from the Goods and Services Tax (GST) to the proposed increased hike for assessment, thus burdening the already burdened citizens.

Uncalled for comments by some of our leaders such as “money is needed for garbage disposal” or that we should not fuss about GST or cutting subsidies does not do anyone any good.

With prices of goods going higher and the salaries given to employers not matching the increases of commodities, there will come a time when Malaysians will not be able to survive even with a monthly wage of RM3,000.

We must stop the practice of doling money in the millions when elections are around the corner. We must stop the widespread corruption where millions and millions of ringgit are lost through corrupt practices. We must stop the ever increasing desire to build bigger and bigger buildings and structures just to have our name in the Guinness Book of Records.

So much financial wastage, yet we do not even blink an eyelid. Till today the corrupted don’t seem to get convicted and we still lose millions.

Hence until we have good governance, we cannot tax the people through various reductions and taxes. Responsible governance means integrity, transparency and accountability.

MICHEL FREDRICK WRIGHT

Batu Caves, Selangor