Walk away from errant shops and eateries, consumers urged

PETALING JAYA: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak wants consumers to “defeat” businesses that were not supposed to charge the Goods and Services Tax on their prices.

He reminded the people that it was within their power to choose “where they want to shop or eat”.

“There are so many others to go to. Use your power as consumers. Sooner or later, these businesses will lose customers,” he said in a TV3 interview last night.

Asked if this was the right time to implement the GST, Najib said the Government had considered all factors and prepared for it for a long time.

“It is not a new issue as it has been discussed since the 1980s. This is the right time to enforce it because the global oil price has dropped.”

Defending his administration’s decision to award the 1Malaysia People’s Aid (BR1M), Najib said this was not a handout but a social safety net proposed by the fiscal committee when the Government was searching for ways to reduce subsidy.

“This was an effort to stop leakages because there were many people who were unqualified to benefit from subsidies – but actually benefitted from them.

“If we reduce subsidy, we can give back to the public,” he said.