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