With the Goods and Sales Tax (GST) scheduled to be implemented on April 1
next year, the government needs to be more aggressive in holding
information campaigns on the matter to consumers.
Malaysian Muslim Consumers Association (PPIM) chief activist Datuk
Nadzim Johan said so far the information dissemination programme on GST
was seen as not being implemented extensively.
"In addition the GST issue is politicised by the opposition as a tax
system that is a burden to the consumers and, hence, the relevant
authorities must intensify efforts to provide indepth information to the
community on its implementation," he told Bernama here Saturday.
He said PPIM was also organising information programmes concerning the
new tax for consumers and hoped the coummunity would not hear rumours or
be influenced by the negative perception that was being brought up by
irresponsible quarters.
The media reported that many of the participants who gathered at
Dataran Merdeka to protest against the GST implementation on Thursday
did not clearly know or understand it.
Many participants, when asked, said the GST implementation would only
raise prices of goods and suppressed the low income group.
Meanwhile Federation of Malaysian Consumer Associations (FOMCA)
Communications Director, Mohd Yusof Abdul Rahman said the government
should issue a list of the goods and services that were charged with GST
and those exempted as well as an accurate comparison on price changes
before and after its implementation.
Mohd Yusof said during a seminar, organised by Fomca recently,
participants were still confused on the goods that would be imposed with
GST and the changes on price of goods after the implementation.
"Previously the GST informationm programme only emphasised on the
advantage of the system on business while focus on the consumers were
given less attention," he said.
According to Young Malay Generation Force (Agenda) president Mohamad
Zaidan Abdul Rahim, the GST implementation was vital in the development
of the country, which was currently moving towards achieving developed
nation status by 2020.
"If this matter is being continued to be politicised by the opposition,
which is trying to fish in murkey waters, it will cause the people to
be confused and give rise to other problems.
"Even though the GST implementation is viewed by the people as a less
popular move by the government, it must be insistent and respond to
every allegations by the opposition on the matter," he said.
As such, he said a comprehensive information needed to be implemented
in stages to give a better undertanding to the people nationwide.
"We will support every campaign that is conducted by the government relating to this GST implementation," he said.
Kelantan Graduates Assembly (Himsak) President Mohd Faizal Daud said
Himsak would be holding several roadshows to provide information to
students at public and private institutions of learning on GST.
"We will down to the grassroot level, especially among the students to
provide information that is easily understood to them on this GST," he
said.
He said Himsak would try not to emphasise on the technical aspects of the GSP implementation during these ongoing programmes.
When presenting the 2014 Budget in October last year Prime Minister
Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak announced a rate of six percent for the GST
to replace the existing Sales and Services Tax with an overall rate of
16 per cent.
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2 comments:
Mana pi duit Petronas?
Salam Tunku,
The ministry responsible for GST should have provided simple and details information/explanation to the citizens.Govt were aware that the citizens does not understand and the opposition was taking advantage in confusing them for their benefits.
The Govt pays millions or billions to consultants, are they sleeping, purposely helping the opposition, makan gaji buta or real dunggus.
What they need to do:
1. Prepare a clear and simple illustration on the process of GST in a flyer and leaflet form.
2. Use more pictures with brief explanation and list the products/services affected by GST.
3. Advertise in all newspapers for one day a week for a month or 2 months.
4. Print flyers and leaflets for distribution.
5. Have roadshows at major shopping mall throughout the country.
Point 3 and 4 should have been done when the opposition announced they wanted to have a demonstration to protest on GST. The flyers and leaflets could have been distributed during the demonstration.
Ministry staff and consultants should be immediately replaced or terminated if they are unable to response effectively and intelligently to such propaganda.
Regards
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