Stop downplaying concerns over rakyat’s burdens, PM told

 Opposition leader Hamzah Zainudin hits out at Anwar Ibrahim’s dismissal of PN MPs’ criticisms as ‘desperate gimmick’.

Opposition leader Hamzah Zainudin accused Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim of being ‘thin-skinned’ in response to criticisms from Perikatan Nasional MPs.

PETALING JAYA:

 The opposition has accused Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim of dismissing public concerns over the economic burdens faced by the rakyat as the expansion of the sales and service tax is set to take effect on July 1.

In a Facebook post, opposition leader Hamzah Zainudin criticised Anwar for downplaying the concerns raised by PN MPs as “gimmicks”.

“PN MPs have raised their concerns about the cumulative burdens borne by the public, but the prime minister seems thin-skinned (“nipis telinga”).

“He assumes all the criticisms raised by the opposition stems from ignorance.

“When PN MPs warned that the upcoming RON95 rationalisation could worsen things, PMX said it was merely a gimmick by the opposition,” he said.

On June 16, The Star reported Anwar as saying the opposition’s negative narrative on the government’s proposed subsidy rationalisation exercise is just a “desperate gimmick” to show that people are facing hardship.

“There is more negative news from them when we need encouraging news to propel our economy,” he said.

The SST expansion will see the 0% sales tax rate for basic necessities maintained, and rates of 5% to 10% imposed on non-essential goods from July 1.

The service tax will be expanded to include rent, lease, construction, financial services, private healthcare and education.

Anwar justified the tax’s expansion to include imported goods as a targeted measure aimed at high-income earners.

However, Hamzah said the expansion to include over 4,000 goods and services is increasingly burdening the people. “The government seems indifferent and stuck in denial,” he said. - fmt