People should be happy, thankful for GST – Jainab

KOTA KINABALU: The people of Sabah should be thankful and happy with the implementation of the Goods and Services Tax (GST) because they are only paying six per cent instead of 12 per cent sales tax, previously.

Community Development and Current Affairs Minister Datuk Jainab Ayid said the government would continue to explain the benefit of GST to the people to ensure a better understanding.

She said the setting up of the 1Malaysia Community (K1M) centre, organized by the Information Department, was one of the efforts by the government to explain and introduce various government policies, including the implementation of GST.

"K1M are the eyes and the ears of the government. They will have the most accurate explanation about government policies, and I believe all 139 centres i n Sabah have done a great job in explaining the positive sides of GST.

"We are hoping people will refer any questions about the government policies to the right channel instead of finding from the internet.

"The importance of the internet is undeniable, but when we want to know about government policy, it should not be searched on the internet but direct to the right department," she added.

Jainab said this at the launching of K1M Information Day at Kampung Cendramata Likas yesterday.

She also said when Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak announced the GST in 2014, many people expressed their anger because they were afraid that the high cost of living would become worse.

Jainab said the misunderstanding and anger was fading away, and hoped the people are ready for the implementation of the tax on April 1.