The finance minister had been following the advice of the Customs Department when he approved the goods and services tax (GST) relief for Chinese firm China Communications Construction Company (CCCC) in regard to the East Coast Rail Link (ECRL).
This was confirmed by Customs director-general Subromaniam Tholasy (above) during a press conference today.
The finance minister in question is also caretaker prime minister Najib Abdul Razak.
“(He did so) on our recommendation, after considering the pros and cons, whether or not it is beneficial to the government and to the people of Malaysia. We don’t simply recommend exemptions or relief without any basis.
“...It is his power, it is in the finance minister’s power to sign off (on the GST relief).
“But the finance minister will usually act upon the advice of the implementing agency as well as the policymakers at the Ministry of Finance,” he said at the Customs headquarters in Putrajaya today.
Subromaniam held today’s press conference to “clear the air” over the confusion which had arisen over the present administration's move to grant CCCC relief from paying GST.
The matter was first revealed to the public by Amanah vice-president Husam Musa on Tuesday, when he uploaded documents pertaining to it online, including a certificate of GST relief on which it was stated it was within the finance minister's powers to do so.
[More to follow] - Mkini
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