KUALA LUMPUR: Dewan Negara has passed five Bills to abolish the Goods and Services Tax (GST) to pave the way for the implementation of the Sales and Service Tax (SST) on Sept 1.
The Sales Tax Bill, Service Tax Bill, Goods and Services Tax (Repeal) Bill, Customs (Amendment) Bill and Free Zones (Amendment) Bill were passed without much objection from Opposition senators.
Despite fears that Barisan Nasional senators would block the Bills, they sailed through the Dewan Negara after seven hours of debates.
"We did not want to delay or disrupt the Government with regard to revenue collection.
"Generally that is why we allowed the Bills to be passed," Barisan senator Khairul Azwan Harun told reporters in Parliament on Monday (Aug 20).
Khairul Azwan said that Barisan senators are aware that it would be futile to try and block the Bills.
He said that the question of how many senators voted against or for the Bills was immaterial.
"What is important is that the Senate has passed the Bills in line with Pakatan Harapan's aspiration," he said.
However, he noted that Pakatan will now have to bear the responsibility of the impact of the SST on the people.
There are 33 Barisan and three PAS senators, out of 55 in Dewan Negara.
The Dewan Rakyat passed the Sales Tax Bill 2018 on Aug 14 while the Service Tax Bill 2018 and three related Bill were passed on Aug 15.
