GST IS COMING SOON. IS THERE A NEED NOW? IS THERE ANOTHER WAY?

As expected after GE 13, the minority government has raise the spectre of imposing GST under the excuse that it will increase the government coffers by some RM 27 Billion. Although I do understand the logic in trying to widen our tax base, one cannot be but very sceptcal about the intentions of this minority, corrupt government.
As a medical practitioner, I am very very wary of the imposition of GST. Let me tell you why,

1. It is common coffee shop knowledge ( even my patients tell me ), that after their "santa claus" approach to the GE 13 campaign, the government coffers are empty and there is a great need to re-coup funds. Basically, they need money. I suspect partly for the rakyat and partly for themselves.

2. Why impose GST when we have made no great attempt to reduce our leakages. The list of leakages is well know to the Malaysian public. Official leakages have been well documented by the Auditor General in his 2012 report. The unofficial leakages is up to our imagination and coffee shop rumours. Even the official leakages is enough to keep our country going.

3. Malaysia Kini, in their reporting yesterday quoted Bank Negara to say, and I quote, "

“The Finance Ministry had confirmed that the BN government failed to collect corporate debt of RM53.1 billion from YTL group, RM34.3 billion from tycoon Syed Mokhtar Al Bukhary’s group, RM19 billion from UEM Khazanah, RM16.4 billion from Genting, RM8.8 billion from Berjaya group and RM11.5 billion from Axiata Khazanah.

Why do we not collect these corporate taxes first. It surely amounts to more than the RM 27 B from GST.

4. I am very concerned that 40% of Malaysian have household incomes of RM 2,000 or less and60% have household income of RM 3,000 or less. To those UMNO cronies and rich Malaysians, GST of 7% is a small scratch, but to those have nots, 7% is a lot. It may be the difference between survival or non-survival.

5. I can see that from the healthcare end, the imposition of GST is the forerunner of the 1Care program with the controversial elements. It would mean having a war chest of RM 43 Billion ( our estimates ) for pirates to plunder.

I am not an economist nor a politician. I am a caring medical practitioner and I am very afraid that GST would bring more hardship to Malaysians and Malaysia, when there is actually no great need to.

When I read that the big corporate boys are owing RM 131.6 Billion ( if Bank Negara is to be believed ), and getting away with it. That really incensed me.

SAY NO TO GST. NO NOT NOW.