Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak has justified the BR1M cash handout and the Goods & Services Tax (GST), stating that even Saudi Arabia is planning to roll out similar policies.
Najib said he learnt this after speaking to Saudi Arabian ministers accompanying Saudi King Salman Abdulaziz Al Saud on his state visit to Malaysia.
"Yesterday, I spoke to a number of Saudi Arabia ministers, the Saudi government are in the initial stages of setting up accounts for its citizens where money would be deposited to the needy.
"Former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad claimed BR1M is a form of corruption, but how is it different from what Saudi Arabia is doing?
"That's why I said don't politicise it. BR1M is not corruption, it's to help the needy.
"We did not say that those who receive BR1M must support BN," he told local residents at a feast in Kuala Lumpur today.
Likewise, Najib said Saudi Arabia will soon roll out its GST, which Malaysia implemented in 2015.
"The Saudi government will introduce GST soon, it means what we did was not wrong.
"Saudi Arabia is rich in oil yet, they introduced GST, therefore it is reasonable to have GST," he said.
Saudi Arabia has embarked on cost cutting measures after its revenue was hit hard by slumping oil prices.
[More to follow]
-Mkini
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