Najib’s push for GST is riling up the nation’s citizens – J.D. Lovrenciear

Senior Barisan Nasional MP Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah has said what all citizens have been crying out in vain, namely, that the nation is “not yet able to handle the added strain on their finances”.

Yet Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s administration is hell bent on pushing ahead with the GST implementation come April 1, 2015.

Even former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad – known for his belt tightening measures and bulldozing through policies in the name of nation-building – has said to the same effect that the people are not ready to be yoked further with Najib’s GST plans.

But the deputy finance minister Datuk Ahmad Maslan claims that “GST from the people will be returned to the people for their good”.

Such counter-arguments from Najib’s camp draws more ridicule. People are already asking, “what sense is all this about?”

On the one hand the government gives handouts in the form of BR1M in a desperate effort to demonstrate that Najib’s government is a caring government that understands the peoples suffering.

And on that same breath, the GST is going to burden the rakyat even more.

Is Najib’s entourage going to tell the people that Dr Mahathir and the former Finance Minister Tengku Razaleigh are wrong? Or that they are anti-government elements?

Even the argument that the government wants to collect the money to give it back to the people sounds all too hollow especially when the claim comes in the wake of billions of ringgit that are going unaccounted for.

Even the well respected Ku Li has hinted on that, has he not in the Parliament lobby today?

The reality on the ground is indeed very worrying. Businessmen are all confused. Traders are not getting clear answers. The financial and human resource and technology pressures the GST implementation will put on the business community will eventually trickle down to the consumers who will become the victims of this grand GST militancy that Najib is pushing for.

Dr Mahathir has said that the people must oppose the GST. He cannot be wrong.

And if the rakyat out of desperation choose to demonstrate their unhappiness over the GST what will Najib do? Send the IGP to tweet and arrest trouble makers?

Why is our nation of leaders unwilling to learn?

Go cut the grapevine that feeds corruption and we will be better off would we not?

Snipe off rent-seeking and extravagance.

Look at the Auditor-General’s Annual Audit reports. Instead of pursuing a clean and efficient government that weeds out wastages and mismanagement, we allow the citizens to be whipped with GST.

Surely the rakyat cannot take this GST madness. When it comes in the wake of rising prices of goods and services; when it comes in the thick of unanswered 1MDB dealings; when it comes amidst a falling ringgit – what would the rakyat do?

And mind you the GST grand plan also comes hot on the heels of a seeming new government aircraft purchase and trying to frighten the rakyat by stating it is not only for the PM but for the King and state rulers to use too.

All right minded professionals and elected representatives in office must converge.  Dr Mahathir and Tengku Razaleigh cannot be wrong.

And if Najib and his team still want to defy all sensibilities and still be hell bent in pushing ahead with the GST, can we still fault the rakyat and the opposition political leaders for galvanising an angry nation of hard pressed citizens?

Please Datuk Seri Najib, come down to the ground and feel the vibrations of struggle faced by the working population. We do not live and thrive within cocoons of RM1,200 hair-do needs and RM500 taloringus to keep up with status symbols lah!

Your commissioned consultants and yes-yes lieutenants are failing to paint the true picture.

This country is not ready for GST. Period

* J.D. Lovrenciear reads The Malaysian Insider.