Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Idris Jala said he hopes that the government will be able to implement the Goods and Services Tax (GST) after the next general election, and called on Pakatan Rakyat to work with BN to ensure the success of this policy.
“Hopefully (GST will be implemented after the general election). I believe that both BN and Pakatan should work together when it comes to things that are very important for the country,” he said.
He was responding to a question on whether he hopes the government will implement the controversial policy after the next general election, during a luncheon with members of the Malaysian Institute of Certified Public Accountants at a luncheon in Kuala Lumpur today.
Although the 13th general election is speculated to be called in May or June, Idris said he does not expect the GST to be introduced before the end of the year.
"You have to ask the prime minister. He is the finance minister but I don't think that's going to happen now. As I have mentioned, it will take a long time to implement - at least a year (from the time it was announced),” he said.
"But I do believe there are a lot of reasons to do it for a country like ours. That's why 143 countries have already implemented GST.”
“Hopefully (GST will be implemented after the general election). I believe that both BN and Pakatan should work together when it comes to things that are very important for the country,” he said.He was responding to a question on whether he hopes the government will implement the controversial policy after the next general election, during a luncheon with members of the Malaysian Institute of Certified Public Accountants at a luncheon in Kuala Lumpur today.
Although the 13th general election is speculated to be called in May or June, Idris said he does not expect the GST to be introduced before the end of the year.
"You have to ask the prime minister. He is the finance minister but I don't think that's going to happen now. As I have mentioned, it will take a long time to implement - at least a year (from the time it was announced),” he said.
"But I do believe there are a lot of reasons to do it for a country like ours. That's why 143 countries have already implemented GST.”
Broadening the tax base
Premier Najib Abdul Razak had already indicated last September that the GST will not be implemented before the next general election.
However, all quarters are now involved in a guessing game as to exactly when the 13th general election will be held.
To another question on the hurdles faced by Malaysia in implementing GST, Idris said that there is a possibility that the public would react cautiously to the idea.
"There are a lot of people that worry the impact of GST on inflation. They worry the GST may affect staple food (prices).
"But eventually there are many countries, that have implemented GST, make those staple items such as rice to be excluded from GST
"But I think education is a key to create a greater awareness," he explained.
Idris reiterated that GST would help to broaden Malaysia's tax base which is currently shouldered by only 1.7 million taxpayers, and both the corporate and personal tax could be reduced to enhance the competitiveness of our products and services.
"There are a lot of people that worry the impact of GST on inflation. They worry the GST may affect staple food (prices).
"But eventually there are many countries, that have implemented GST, make those staple items such as rice to be excluded from GST
"But I think education is a key to create a greater awareness," he explained.
Idris reiterated that GST would help to broaden Malaysia's tax base which is currently shouldered by only 1.7 million taxpayers, and both the corporate and personal tax could be reduced to enhance the competitiveness of our products and services.
Idris Jala,
ReplyDeleteI think you are not an expert on income tax and GST. Someone is using your so called
" reputation in turning around MAS in the past " to con the people to accept GST.
Anyway look at what fallowed after you left MAS! So much "mas" are lost by MAS and
the BN baru development plans, projects, and ill-planned National Budgets through corruption, leakages, ” well planned projects” to harvest the people's money (national revenue) for a period of time, and no less the flight of black money overseas. For the past 30 years till now BN baru have not " transformed " its bad habits and performance!
Jala you are too young to have the opportunity to observe the many repeated instances
of fires in the store-rooms of the Inland Revenue Department before the introduction of
of office computers and electronic data filing. Why don't you do a " lab and transform "
on the IRD Malaysia? Why only 1.7 million out of 27 million Malaysians are paying
income tax ? Missing electronic files and many little Napoleons ? May be the high emigration
of the Malaysian professionals for the past 30 years ?
Suspend the GST indefinitely and do the right things :-
A) Reform the National Education and Technical Training Blueprint with
long and short term plans by professionals and stake-holders.
B) Transform government policies to decrease emigration of our professionals
and skilled workers.
C) Cut down toxic Corruption, harvesting national revenues through project contracts, and leakages of revenues internally and externally .
D) Improve the numbers of income tax payers and fine heavily income tax dodgers.
E) Correct the missteps committed in the NEP in the past.
F) Transform National Development Plans to achieve " High Income Economy "
Looking at its past records and present performance, the BN baru government would
not be able achieve the above. Hi, Fellow true and loyal Malaysians should transform and
make a " CHANGE " in the coming GE.