Jobs and taxes top concerns among M’sians

PETALING JAYA: Jobs, education and taxes are the three most important matters to the public when it comes to Budget 2018.

A total of 7,315 suggestions covering 14 categories, including cost of living, housing and healthcare, have been submitted so far to the bajet2018.najibrazak.com website ahead of Monday’s deadline.

The website was set up for Malaysians to channel their ideas ahead of Budget 2018 which will be tabled by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak on Oct 27.

Employment is the No 1 concern – attracting 1,683 responses, or 23% of the total number of suggestions submitted.

A pay hike and two months’ bonus for civil servants were among the most common suggestions.

“My suggestion is to raise the salaries and allowances for civil servants because the prices of goods go up every year,” wrote Wan Norlail Saad. His suggestion drew 247 likes.

Many also asked for better terms and perks for teachers and lecturers.

“Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak, I hope you can give a special allowance of between RM350 and RM500 each to all the 350,000 teachers in appreciation of all their sacrifices,” was the proposal from user Joshua P, with his idea getting 456 likes.

The second highest concern is taxation, business and finance which drew 834 submissions (11%).

Calls for the Government to reduce income tax and the Goods and Services Tax (GST) rate were among the most liked suggestions.

Mohamad Faizal suggested that the income tax exemption for individuals be raised from RM9,000 to RM12,000. His idea received 444 likes.

Commenting on the suggestions, Malaysian Institute of Economic Research deputy director Dr Ahmad Fauzi Puasa said it showed a need for the Government to speed up job creation and wage growth.

Calls for higher income and lower taxes are signals that many people still struggle to cope with price increases, he said.

“The Government needs to find ways reduce the gap between price hikes and wage increases,” he added.

Principal fellow at the Graduate School of Business at Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Prof Datuk Dr John Antony Xavier, said the feedback shows that the Government needs to step up its efforts to help those affected by price increases and GST.

“Budget 2018 is expected to be an election budget, so we can look forward to some goodies.

“But while demands for higher wages among civil servants may be justified, the Government needs to convince the public that any wage increases will be linked to higher productivity,” he said.

Last year, a similar survey for Budget 2017 drew more than 8,000 proposals, with cost of living and housing topping the list of concerns.