Pas: PH govt has no idea how to fix economy
KUALA LUMPUR: Pas has labelled the Pakatan Harapan government as being bereft of ideas by reintroducing the Sales and Services Tax (SST) to replace the Goods and Services Tax (GST).
Pas information chief Nasrudin Hassan said the government should be embarrassed by its failure to repair the economy and reduce the people’s cost of living since assuming control on May 9.
“This involves its manipulation of the
RM1 trillion national debt, not reducing toll, not reducing petrol prices, increasing the domestic electricity tariff and making a Uturn on the National Higher Education Fund Corporation loan repayment deferment.
“The government also made a U-turn on the East Coast Railway Link and Light Rail Transit 3 projects. The latest involves reintroducing SST by 10 per cent and six per cent. What is the difference between PH and Barisan Nasional?
“PH has run out of ideas on how to rebuild the economy,” said Nasrudin.
He said the government’s “package of failures” led to hardship for the people, especially the middle-income (M40) and lower-income (B40) groups.
He said the Consumer Price Index in June showed a reduction of 0.8 per cent compared with the same period the previous year.
“This means that the increase in electricity tariffs this month, followed by SST in September, will add to the people’s woes.
“PH has betrayed its own manifesto and lied to Malaysians.”
Pas, he said, had rejected SST and GST before and after the 14th General Election, as it had a better offer for the people.
“Pas plans to introduce a Corporate Savings Tax and Shareholders Tax of 2.5 per cent.
“The taxes do not burden the people as they are not consumer taxes.
“Should the taxes be implemented, the government would collect RM40 billion to RM50 billion annually, which is higher than GST and SST, apart from not having to rely on the nation’s petroleum-related income.”