GST 8% if Najib still the PM, Pua cautions on inflation

BANGI - The Goods and Services Tax (GST) could be eight to ten per cent if Datuk Seri Najib Razak was still prime minister, DAP leader Tony Pua claims.

He said it would have further increased inflation.

"GST could have caused inflation to increase during that time but (it did not) due to the changes and that PH (Pakatan Harapan) had fulfilled its promise to remove the GST.

“If not, GST would not have been six per cent but maybe eight to ten per cent," Pua told voters during a campaign rally for PH’s Bangi candidate Syahredzan Johan.

He said the people were still struggling today because the government that took over from PH in 2020 had failed to control the price of the goods.

“We are facing the worst inflation rate in 20 years,” he added.

Pua, who is Damansara incumbent MP, said despite only governing the country for 22 months, it had made many changes in terms of reducing the country’s debt.

“When I was the MP, I always questioned the government as to why they allow highway toll concession companies to gain big profit when people are burdened by it.

“We suggested that the toll should be structured to ease the burden of the people but we often received the answer, that they cannot stop the contract since the contract has been signed,” he said.

However, Pua said when PH took over, they started to review the contracts and look for the clauses where they can have negotiations with the company.

He said PH was able to do it but BN chose not to as they benefited from it.

“We (PH) succeeded and we managed to taste the perks today where the toll was reduced by 18 per cent.

“They (BN) never reduced the toll rate but instead, they froze the tolls,” he said.

However, he said although the toll rate was not increased, the money still went to the concession company as compensation.