Deputy International Trade and Industry Minister Ahmad Maslan says when he was in finance ministry, his focus was on explaining the rationale for the controversial tax.
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PETALING JAYA: Ahmad Maslan said today that the Goods and Services Tax (GST) presented a bigger challenge to the government compared with 1MDB, although both had attracted so much controversy.
“There were lessons to be learnt, in spite of the challenges we faced,” the deputy international trade and industry minister told FMT.
He was asked to comment on Ahmad Husni Hanadzlah’s claim two weeks ago that handling the state-owned investment firm made him ill, prompting him to resign as Finance Minister II.
Husni said he had been under heavy stress for months in dealing with the controversy over the debts and financial affairs of 1MDB, which is fully owned by the finance ministry.
He suffered prolonged high blood pressure and had contemplated resigning since January. While he was flying to Laos for a meeting of Asean finance ministers, he fell ill.
Ahmad, who was deputy finance minister from 2013 until July last year, however, noted that the scenario was different when he was in the ministry, with more of his focus being on the GST rather than 1MDB.
Previously, it was reported that Ahmad had received a lot of flak and was ridiculed over statements made on the GST, which was implemented on April 1, 2015.
This included his claim that the GST would lower prices of over 200 items and also for coming up with a recipe for mixed fried rice, which he claimed was GST-free.
The Pontian MP pointed out that when he was the deputy finance minister, he was constantly attacked by the Opposition, which was pressing him for answers regarding 1MDB.
“The Opposition had attempted to table a special motion against me, accusing me of not answering 1MDB-related questions properly and saying that I had wanted to mislead the House.”
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