KUALA LUMPUR: Evolving political cooperation does not mean Barisan Nasional will lose its identity, says Datuk Seri Dr Wee Ka Siong.
The MCA president said there must be preparations to face any challenges ahead, citing the upcoming Melaka state polls and also the 16th General Election (GE16).
“Today, we see what is deemed a grand collaboration. This is not a concept that will see Barisan losing its identity, but one that sees readiness to adapt and reflects the current political reality.
“We can no longer rely on just one policy anymore. It is also something we have observed nationally over recent elections and their results,” he said when asked about his views on Umno president Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi’s presidential address at the party’s annual general assembly on Friday (Sept 11).
Dr Wee added that Ahmad Zahid’s address had clearly explained the current political scenario.
At the Negri Sembilan state polls, Barisan had an electoral understanding with Perikatan Nasional, which saw them securing a two-thirds majority at the state assembly.
Dr Wee also commended the “Blue Malaysia Agenda" (Agenda Malaysia Biru) presented by the Umno president, saying that it is something desired by any sovereign country, especially when it comes to innovation and education matters.
On Ahmad Zahid’s call to restore the Goods and Services Tax (GST), he said this was something MCA and Barisan had always been consistent on.
“We need to improve our government’s income, alongside improving its efficiency,” he said.
Dr Wee added that the rakyat continues to feel the burden of the Sales and Service Tax’s(SST) cascading effect.
He also hit back at the proposed hybrid tax system comprising elements of both the GST and SST.
“From the start, I have always said no to this. We need to choose either the GST or continue with the SST.
“The hybrid system also employs two different systems, making it hard to implement,” he said.
In August, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim clarified that while SST remains the foundation of the country's tax framework, the government remains open to studying whether key GST mechanisms could be integrated into the existing system.
The multi-stage consumption tax was first introduced on April 1, 2015, at a rate of 6%, before being zero-rated on June 1, 2018. It was officially replaced by the SST on Sept 1, 2018, fulfilling a core election pledge of the Pakatan Harapan coalition.
