KUALA LUMPUR: Datuk Seri Dr Wee Ka Siong says that the Goods and Services Tax (GST) could make a comeback under a different label to distance it from the past government's policies.
The MCA president argued that the GST is a more effective taxation system than the current Sales and Services Tax (SST).
"As per the Finance Ministry's 2024 Fiscal Outlook Report, the benefits of GST over the SST are clear," he said on Sunday (Oct 20).
Dr Wee said that the current administration has repackaged programmes like 1Malaysia People's Aid (BR1M) and retained GST mechanisms such as e-invoicing to curb economic discrepancies.
"Why maintain and adapt the previous government's practices if they were initially criticised?" he said during the MCA's 71st annual general meeting at Wisma MCA.
He added the recent SST hike from 6% to 8%, resulting in increased living costs for citizens and urged the government to consider reviving the GST under a new identity.
Dr Wee then said that MCA has an active role in holding the government to account, even from a backbench position.
He said that by intervening, the party has led to policy reevaluations, including the retraction of tax on alternative medical services and resolutions on transaction fees.
Dr Wee said that MCA has raised safety concerns with Malaysia Airlines and advocated for support of the local poultry sector amidst reliance on imports.
The party challenged PADU's effectiveness in managing personal data, echoing its dedication to public interests. As a connector between the government and the populace, MCA continues its dialogue with NGOs and community groups to tackle public issues.
Looking forward to the 2025 Budget, MCA is gathering input from stakeholders to present to the Finance Minister II, Datuk Seri Amir Hamzah Azizan.
"We engage with the community, gather insights, devise proposals, and voice them through proper channels for the good of the people and nation. This is MCA's approach," he outlined.
