KUALA LUMPUR, 20 Oct: Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim urged the Central Government to strengthen the people’s income and ensure good taxation infrastructure before implementing the Goods and Services Tax (GST).
The Opposition Leader said, when he held the post of Finance Minister, the idea regarding the implementation of the GST had been suggested, but it was not implemented.
“I support the GST review, it is an efficient move and taxing system, but we need to look at the people’s income.
“The people’s income has to be increased and the taxation infrastructure needs to be improved before implementing it,” Anwar said.
He said this at during a Forum keynote address on the GST in Parliament, which was also attended by panelists Dr Lim Kim-Hwa (Penang Institute) and Azrul Azwar (People’s Institute), and chaired by Ooi Heng (KPRU).
Anwar said, before the implementation of the GST, the government should also eliminate the monopoly system in this country because it will cause prices to rise.
“Monopoly should be stopped as well. It causes the price of goods to go up,” he said.
