It’s the voice of the people being heard, says Dr Wee

KUALA LUMPUR: Calling it a win for the people, MCA president Datuk Seri Dr Wee Ka Siong has lauded the government’s decision to exempt the traditional and complementary medicine (T&CM) sector from the Sales and Service Tax (SST).

“Not only traditional Chinese, Malay and Indian medicine, even homeopathy, chiropractic, osteopathy and Islamic practice of medicine are exempted from the SST.

“My thanks to the government, especially the Finance Ministry, for listening to the cries of the people.

“I first raised this issue on Dec 29 last year. On Jan 4 this year, I raised it again,” he said in a post yesterday.

Dr Wee said he is happy because finally the government has heard the voice of the people.

“Apparently one of my oral questions about the SST exemption on T&CM services that was submitted to the Dewan Rakyat on Feb 7 has got an early answer,” he added.

Yesterday, the Finance Ministry announced that after feedback from various parties, T&CM service practitioners will not be taxed 8% as previously gazetted to start from March 1.

Among the services exempted from the tax are those provided by health or wellness centres, massage parlours or similar places that are operated by T&CM practitioners registered under the T&CM Act 2016 (Act 775).