Govt yet to decide on GST implementation, says Ahmad Husni

The government has yet to decide when it will implement the goods and services tax (GST), said Finance Minister II, Datuk Seri Ahmad Husni Hanadzlah.

He said the government has launched a study to compare the impact of the GST on the economy and the current prices with that of the earlier study in 2009.

“The study was undertaken again because of the changes in the economy and the prices,” he said.

Ahmad Husni said this in reply to the original question by Datuk Ahmad Fauzi Zahari (BN-Setiawangsa) at the Dewan Rakyat yesterday.

“Based on the study, if the GST were implemented, the basic essentials will be exempted as they are mostly used by the lower-income groups,” he said.

He said basic services like health, private education, public transport, tolls and residences, which were categorised as ‘exempt supply’, whereby GST will not be imposed.

The minister said of the 193 members of the United Nations, 160 had implemented the GST.

“The government wants to implement a good tax system to increase revenue to help the rakyat,” he said.

Ahmad Husni said from 2010 to June 2013, the ministry has organised 4,667 programmes to publicise the GST.

Source: New Sabah Times