Fomca: Don’t make SST list final
government has to review the items that are subjected to the Sales and Services Tax (SST) and not deem the Customs Department’s list as final.
Federation of Malaysian Consumers Associations (Fomca) deputy president Mohd Yusof Abdul Rahman said although SST was already implemented, the government had to take into account the people’s complaints on the reintroduced tax.
He said the government had to identify goods that were classified as essential items for city and rural folks.
“Some items are probably not a necessity in some areas but are crucial for city folk, especially for those who are working. So, if it’s a necessity, SST is definitely burdensome.”
He said goods like salted fish, canned items, cendol, biscuits, burger patties, fried chicken and personal care items, such as toothbrushes, toothpastes and soaps, had a tax range of between five and 10 per cent.
Yusof said although the goods were not under the category of essential items, they were still a necessity for the low-income group in the B40 category, as well as the M40 middle income group.
Social media was on Friday rocked with news that prepaid cards would be charged a SST rate of six per cent.
This was later confirmed by telecommunications companies, which announced that every RM10 reloaded would only translate to RM9.43 in credit.
Yusof drew on a similar move by telcos during the imposition of the Goods and Services Tax (GST) where the public had called on the companies to absorb the negligible sum.
“We hope that Pakatan Harapan will listen and review this matter, and learn from the mistakes of the previous administration.
“They have to realise that people rejected the earlier government because they felt burdened by the rising prices of goods that put people, especially those living in the city, under pressure to keep their lives afloat,” he added.