PM: Measures in place for long-term benefit
PUTRAJAYA: Some government measures may seem unpopular but they are for the benefit of Malaysians and the future of the country, said Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak.
The Prime Minister said the country’s future would be at stake if the Government were to be populist and spend on everything.
“We want to see the country continuing to grow in a convincing manner. What we do today may go unnoticed or even criticised but in actual fact, we are providing a basis for economic growth and wealth for the future of the country.
“We cannot go for instant gratification and sometimes, we have to sacrifice a little but we know it lays a solid foundation for sustainable development and economic growth of the country.
“For example, when we introduced the Goods and Services Tax (GST), many said that it would burden the people. But if we study this carefully and check, we collected RM42bil last year through GST,” he said during the launch of Koperasi Profesional Putrajaya Bhd’s (Koprojaya) annual general meeting here yesterday.
With GST, the Government, said Najib, was able to develop and ensure the country’s economic growth despite the drastic drop in oil prices.
“We are still able to give civil servants a pay raise and bonuses and think about what we should do in Budget 2018.
“For the health sector, we spend around RM22bil annually and collect only RM600mil. We charge around RM1,000 to RM2,000 for a bypass surgery when the actual cost is around RM50,000,” he said, adding that there were plenty of other “hidden subsidies” by the Government.
He urged the people not to listen to claims by certain parties that they could abolish GST.
“One person initially claimed that he would abolish GST. Later, he said this would be zero-rated and now, he wants to bring back the Sales and Services Tax (SST).
“What he promises is unrealistic and cannot be done. He is always moving the goalpost,” said Najib in a clear reference to Pakatan Harapan chairman Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad.
Najib also pledged his support for Koprojaya so that it would continue to grow and be listed in the 100 Best Malaysia Cooperative Index by 2020.
He also encouraged all other cooperatives in the country to continue expanding as it was a large sector with more than seven million members and assets of RM130bil.
Quoting the International Cooperative Alliance 2014 study, cooperatives, said Najib, employed some 250 million people or 9% of the world’s workers population.
He said he hoped to see the Domestic Trade, Co-operative and Consumerism Ministry and the Malaysia Co-operative Societies Commission disseminate information and carry out effective training on the benefits of the cooperative model.