SHAH ALAM, 4 Nov: Ikram Organisation Malaysia (Ikram) hopes that the Central Government will expand the goods and services tax (GST) exemption list to all types of services and essential goods for the people in this country.
Ikram Vice-President, Syed Ibrahim Syed Noh, said that the exemption is needed to ensure that the burden shouldered by the people due to the GST would be less.
“If it is needed for the GST to be implemented, GST exemptions should be given for all types of essential services such as public transportation, healthcare, services and essential goods needed by the people,” said Syed Ibrahim when contacted by TVSelangor.
Syed Noh added that the government should ensure that there are no leakages, wastage of public funds and to reduce household debt before imposing the GST on the people.
“The implementation is supposed to be the last option after leakages and wastage is controlled.
“The similar goes for household debt, which should be successfully be reduced first. The income of the lower to middle class should be increased, as it will unfair to them if it is implemented now,” Syed Ibrahim added.
Previously, the Malaysian Health Minister, Datuk Seri Dr S. Subramaniam, said that the cost of health services in this country will not increase with the implementation of the GST.
However, his statement raised doubts due to the increased cost in transportation and packaging which is expected to have an impact on health goods and services.
Opposition Leader, Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, stressed for the Umno-BN Government to address the issue of corruption, extreme wastage of public money and to improve the people’s quality of life before implementing the GST.