THE Barisan Nasional’s 60-year reign came to a grinding halt when it was toppled in the 2018 general election because of two primary reasons – the unpopular goods and services tax (GST) and the 1MDB scandal.
So, it came as a surprise to many, including those in Umno’s leadership, when Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob suddenly said that the government hasn’t ruled out the possibility of reinstating the GST.
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Wong Chun Wai
Wong Chun Wai began his career as a journalist in Penang, and has served The Star for over 35 years in various capacities and roles. He is now group editorial and corporate affairs adviser to the group, after having served as group managing director/chief executive officer. On The Beat made its debut on Feb 23 1997 and Chun Wai has penned the column weekly without a break, except for the occasional press holiday when the paper was not published. In May 2011, a compilation of selected articles of On The Beat was published as a book and launched in conjunction with his 50th birthday. Chun Wai also comments on current issues in The Star.
