What happened to tax reforms you once championed - KJ asks Harapan

PARLIAMENT | Rembau MP Khairy Jamaluddin has suggested that Putrajaya introduce a wealth-based tax, among others, as part of BN's commitment to tax reforms.

"Our rakyat economy initiative is based on the Pakatan Harapan spirit while they were still the opposition – to uplift the middle-class.

"We suggest more progressive channels for tax revenues as part of our commitment to change the taxation system in this country.

"For example, we are committed to introducing a wealth-based tax, as well as restructuring income tax by introducing a new bracket for individuals earning RM350,000," he said during his speech on Budget 2019 in the Dewan Rakyat today.

Before Harapan won the previous election, Khairy said, they were always talking about tax reforms, and how they would implement a progressive taxation system once coming into power.

"Yet now that they have won and become the government, they did not use the opportunity while tabling the budget the other day to implement tax reforms, as they once said.

"Back then you criticised us, 'Oh, when you were the government, BN did not do this'.

"Now I ask again, 'Oh, you are now the government, why haven't you done it?' Where is the reality and solutions for the M40 in Budget 2019?" he asked.

This, Khairy argued, shows that the Harapan government only knows how to pay lip service.

Speaking to reporters later, the Umno lawmaker said that Budget 2019 is not pro-rakyat, but one that prioritises privatisation and urban development while shunning rural areas.

Describing the budget as being "very cruel" towards the B40 economic class and having nothing for the middle class, he said that he proposes a restructuring of the system to tax the rich more.

"We tax the rich more, and it can be distributed to the middle class and the B40. This is what was done by BN," he said. - Mkini