BE WARNED, we will resist GST, TPP - Anwar tells Najib

Ahead of Saturday's major rally to press for the resignation of the Election Commission members over electoral frauds, PKR de-facto leader Anwar Ibrahim warned prime minister Najib Razak that Pakatan Rakyat would fight any attempt to burden Malaysians with newer taxes sans financial reforms.

Specifically, Anwar warned of resistance against the government's plan to introduce the controversial Goods and Services Tax, even if implemented gradually.

"The BN government must not drag the public to cover for its economic incompetence and policy shortfalls. Any attempts to introduce a new Goods and Services Tax (GST) albeit in stages to reduce the budgetary deficit will be resisted much in the same force that the people had resisted electoral fraud," the former Finance minister said in a statement today which among others criticised the government's lack of disclosure on the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement and inability to battle rising crime.

Saying the new tax could only be introduced if income level among ordinary Malaysians had significantly risen over the last five years, Anwar said that average wage growth for 2000-2010 was only at a lowly 2.6%.

On the government's recent announcement to tackle national budgetary deficit by reducing it to 3% by 2015, Anwar said only strict economic governance, transparent procurement and reduction of expenditures could achieve such a feat.

"The fact that his administration struggles to reduce car prices as promised in his manifesto exemplified the incompetence and hopelessness of his administration.

"Najib has also failed to deliver on his promise to provide affordable and livable housing for the people," Anwar said, adding that Pakatan Rakyat would closely watch if the BN government could bring down prices of mid-range housing by 10% in the next one year.

Anwar also touched on the growing opposition to Malaysia's participation in the US-initiated the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement negotiations, and rapped the administration's refusal to divulge critical details to the public and stakeholders.

The TPP aims to link the US economy to fast-growing markets in Australia, Canada, New Zealand, Peru, Mexico, Chile, Singapore, Malaysia, Vietnam and Brunei, but has since come under scrutiny amid concerns that domestic rules to protect consumers would be redundant.

On crime, Anwar reminded the government that the public was "alarmingly concerned" with the escalating crime rate, and questioned the police force's ability to confront it.

"Clearly, there is a serious credibility issue engulfing our police force that continuously dilutes the public’s confidence in its ability to provide safety," he added.

He pledged PR's full assistance to the police in efforts to engage the public to bridge the "growing gap between credibility and perception".

- Harakah Daily