The action and fiction of GST

A MONTH has gone by since the implementation of GST. The Malaysian Consumers Movement is glad to note the absence of serious administration glitches. This goes to show that the Government was well prepared for its introduction. It is only natural to experience minor issues, as we have seen in other countries which have implemented a similar tax system.

But there are segments of people, especially in the rural areas, who still don’t understand this new tax regime. Conflicting information made by interested parties has caused a fair amount of confusion and the Government must accelerate efforts to explain GST in simple terms to the people. The explanation given must be consistent with market conditions, that is if the Government says prices have gone down, this fact must be supported by quoting real situations.