Najib admits GST is unpopular

He says public anger will subside in time.

PUTRAJAYA: The government has reiterated its assurance that the income it receives through the Goods and Services Tax (GST) will be used for the benefit of the people.

The reassurance holds some significance because it came from Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak, who has maintained a relative silence on the GST since it was introduced on April 1, leaving it to other members of his Cabinet to explain the issue to an angry public.

According to a report by Utusan Online, Najib acknowledged today that the new tax was unpopular, but expressed confidence that public anger would subside once the government had overcome teething problems in its implementation.

He warned of action against “irresponsible people” who were causing problems in implementing the GST. The Utusan report did not elaborate.

He was speaking at the monthly gathering of the staff of the Prime Minister’s Department. Those who attended included Deputy Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin, minister in the Prime Minister’s Department and the Chief Secretary to the Government, Ali Hamsa.