GST should just be abolished, says Dr M
Former prime minister Mahathir Mohamad has called for the goods and services tax (GST) to be abolished.
Former prime minister Mahathir Mohamad has called for the goods and services tax (GST) to be abolished.
"I think it should just be abolished," he said, receiving a thunderous applause from the 500-strong crowd at a forum in Kuala Lumpur today.
Mahathir said this when asked if the GST should stay as it is, or have its 6 percent rate revised or scrapped.
"Before, there was the sales tax. If you want to hike the sales tax a little, that's ok.
"But you are introducing a system that even the officers don't understand," he said.
He was speaking at the 'Bicara Negarawan: You Are Not Alone' talk organised by NGO coalition Prihatin.
Civil society groups and the opposition have claimed that the GST will burden the people, and want it abolished.
They claim the time is not right for Malaysians to be charged a consumption tax, as depressed wages for the lower and middle income groups were not enough to meet rising cost of living.
However Mahathir, who is also Proton adviser, quipped that the national cars were cheaper after the tax was implemented on April 1.
"The price of Proton cars have become cheaper. So if you want to buy Proton cars, go ahead," he said.
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