SHAH ALAM, 25 Feb: The statement by the Prime Minister’s wife, Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor, on the implementation of the goods and services tax (GST) went viral on social sites in the past two days, mostly with negative reactions.
The statement made by Rosmah on February 23 was published on the Malaysia Kini portal, questioning the rate of house-to-house services that are increasing by giving the example of the hair styling and colouring services that reach RM1,200.
It received 1,328 likes, 223 comments and 159 shares among social networking users on Facebook when most of them were of the opinion that the statement does not reflect concern for the people’s problems who are burdened by the increase in cost of living.
“Wow. Even hair styling amounts to my monthly salary. Even that, she said that she is a housewife like us penniless people. Haha,” wrote Ah Chong who received 61 likes.
A user with the nickname Nasir Lgkwi, said that the country would be able to save if Datuk Seri Najib Razak is not the number one leader in the country.
“If Kak Mah and Pak Jib is not the country’s PM, it would save a lot of Malaysia’s money,” he said.
“So basically, Rosmah agrees that the implementation of the GST will burden the people?” asked Syahmi Khadari.
Marissa Christine sarcastically compared Rosmah’s cost of hairdressing with her monthly income that is less than that.
“Wow Makcik…my pay is only RM900 a month…I am a public servant and even housewives can spend RM1,200 on hairdressing…not including the rest…nails…sauna…eyeliner…baju kurung…now Makcik are you the housewife or am I,” she wrote.
In her statement, Rosmah suggested Putrajaya to make guidelines for house-to-house services to prevent traders from charging at whim, especially after the GST is introduced.
She said that without controlling consumer prices, housewives especially will be burdened.
“Now when I want to dye my hair at home, the hairdresser charges me RM1,200. Wow, that is expensive!
“But they say the price is different in the store. It’s pricey because it is home service,” said Rosmah, sharing her experience at the GST briefing organised by BAKTI at their headquarters in Kuala Lumpur.
NS