Will the GST be another nail in the coffin?
A long time ago, I have written about the government's plan to implement GST. I am not going to bother looking at what I wrote. Maybe what I write then did not make sense at all. But to me, the plan to implement the GST will be another nail in the coffin for the BN government. In almost all cases where the GST was introduced, it has raised a lot of discontent. Governments have fallen because of the GST and finance ministers have resigned. Remember this: governments have fallen. Finance ministers have quit. I hope, the government's tax package is not an attempt to trick workers into thinking that they will be better off after the proposed tax cuts. I also hope it will not trick people on government benefits that they will be better off after the so-called "compensation", despite the introduction of a goods and services tax (GST). Consider this. Our tax base is perhaps only 15%, i.e. only about 15 percent of the population pays tax. The balance have nor or were not paying taxes- kampong people, self-employed, ordinary folks outside the tax bracket. Now, all are caught in the tax trawler net and pay consumption tax. Never mind says the government; we will compensate the ordinary people. Ok. So we ask, what then is the size of the compensation and its value? Will it be larger than the revenue the government collects after implementing GST? Then the government ends up spending more after all. What is the purpose of the GST? The GST, levied at a rate of x %, will replace the government's wholesale sales tax and other indirect taxes. How much will the abolition of these taxes cost and how much will the GST raise? I don't have the figures but I am sure the reasoning by the government is that the GST will increase the amount of tax collected. Meaning the GST will increase government revenue by X amount. Revenue will likely to increase over time because of the expansion of the service sector. Here is an interesting question. Somebody will make money as a result of introducing and implementing the GST. Ask this question- who will collect the revenue? It will be collected by some companies already proposing or about to propose further privatization of government services. Who is actually paying the excess revenue that government collects after GST? If we study carefully, we can know who is NOT going to pay: big business- the tax burden on Malaysian business will be reduced by more than the GST revenue collected. How so? Because business which export a lot will be treated to a substantial decrease in costs because they will be eligible to have GST they pay on business inputs refunded. So if business doesn't pay, who pays? If businesses won't be paying the extra GST revenue, then it means that workers and people on government benefits will subsidize business. Cilaka punya government! We subsidize these people? Because, really the GST is not a tax on business as input tax credits ensure that businesses effectively do not pay GST on their inputs. GST paid by business on raw materials, tools, electricity and rent is refunded. Business is exempt from paying the GST. The only GST payer is the consumer at the end, who pays a X% GST on the total price of the product. Now you know why representatives of big business are waxing lyrical about the tax package. What is the chief government selling point? It's the so-called compensation. We will compensate the people, the advisers tell the PM. And the PM repeats what his officers and advisers say. The income tax cuts, welfare rebates, compensation to government beneficiaries and self-funded retirees that is costing money will all be funded out of the projected revenue surpluses over the next few years. But what if tax revenue is not as optimistic as planned? Will the government cancel or reduce the income tax cuts and the compensation package? Where will the government find money to pay the compensation? Where did this surplus come from? Suddenly I was thinking about the removal of subsidies which the government is carrying out. Removal of subsidies will cause severe hardship to the people who will duly translate that into political backlash for the government. That is why I said, this GST is a potential nail in the coffin for the government. The money for compensation come from attacks on the social wage — the sacking of tens of workers, massive cuts to hospitals, schools, libraries, child-care, public transport and public housing, and the denial of government benefits to young people and redundant workers. When the government suddenly finds that a lack it has less of revenue, it will be announcing that more government services have to be cut back or abolished. See whether the government has the balls to do that.
37 comments:
Dato',
Let it be the last nail in the coffin. We are tired of this government. At the moment any other government will do.
After selling off RRIM land in Sg Buloh and Sg. Besi Camp, what next will they sell? I wonder how much more fund EPF has in store to buy more valuable asset from the government to keep this country afloat.
Pak Tua
Of course, the people with the temerity to say that this is a more "efficient" form of tax are the consultants, accountants, etc. These buggers have vested interests to see GST come about because :
(1) They will benefit from a reduction in personal or corporate income tax rate, and
(2) Their businesses they own or work for are direct beneficiaries of this GST implementation -- process consulting, systems renovated, people trained, etc.
When the government say that the worker masses will be compensated via a reduced income tax, are they referring to my relatives who are fishermen and small-town folk?
Will a tin of Milo cost less or more for these folk whose incomes fall below taxable levels?
How can GST be good for the ordinary people?
This government is morally decrepit - but there will be no change unless "you" Malay majority stop falling for this crap, hook-line-and-sinker.
A chinky-chink-chink Malaysian First.
Salam Dato'
For me, GST is fair and equal. Every citizen and non citizen pays the tax through consume goods and services. Then personel income tax and road tax must abolish. Corporate tax restructured accordingly. Is you consumed and used more you pay more. I think GOM should proceed with GST. Prinsip you makan lebih maka you berak lebih. Adil dan saksama kan
TQ
Anon 10.13:
No taxation system is perfect, and while you think that "you makan lebih, you berak lebih" on the surface seems fair, is it justified?
Let's say a poor single mother earns RM1000 a month and buys baby formula, RM100 a can. She buys two cans a month. So in one year it's RM1200, and 5% is RM60. That's quite a lot for a poor single mother, and she can almost buy another can of baby formula with it.
Another mother who earns more and buys the same formula, but she earns RM3000.In the end, she also pays RM60 as GST, but then she earns 3x more and RM60 is a pittance to her.
The point is, for higher-income earners, the GST have an decreasingly exponential effect on them. If both rich and poor individual spend the same X amount and pay Y amount of GST, the difference is that the rich individual still has more income left and the end of the day to cushion the effect.
In addition, that's the assumption that both individual spend the same amount. If a poor family has 3 kids, while a wealthier family only has one kid - who will typically spend more on necessities and who will suffer the GST effects more?
No taxation system is perfect, even the personal income tax. But just because something seems "fair", doesn't mean that is socially justified.
Salam Dato' and Anon 10:13,
Firstly I have been following on GST since 2 years ago on the net. Both of you have a good understanding too.
My gripe is on the leakages -- corruption and abuse of public funds -- in the past, and if not effectively curb, in the future.
Take the PKFZ for example. Why is that we Rakyat have to bail out all of these fiasco? GST is a source of revenue, yes, but now every layer (incl. those poor makcik & pakcik) have to chip in to cover all these leakages as well.
From this angle we can also see how cruel and slaving these corrupt people have impacted the lives of all of us including the poor people.
p5t
Dear Dato,GST is a like a coin game the chinese called "ting tong".In this case the banker is the government.Like in malaysia,the government sets the rules.The rules dictate that when the coins are tossed,and they landed heads faced up the government wins.When the coins are tossed again and they landed tails faced up the player lost.It's a polite way of saying you are conned.The GST works this way.The more you spend, the more you get taxed.When the taxed money goes into the piggy bank,the only time it is coming out is when it is going into a foreign bank account.GST is practiced by many governments in western countries.It only works for the government,not the consumers and definitely not the tak payers.Period.
Dato',
Let the truth be known. In Malaysia, not one single person in the civil service (especially the cabinet ministers, deputies, DGs, departmental heads, etc) will ever resign due to his/her incompetency or failure to serve the rakyat. As long as the civil "servant" serves his master (UMNO) well, his/her position is safe and secured. Hence it does not matter whether GST is implemented or not, the BN government will still remain with its incompetent cabinet and ministries intact while the rakyat suffers. Already the DPM has asked the rakyat to tighten their belts and "produce" their own food. Growing vegetables and rearing livestock in low cost housing? I just wonder if the DPM knows what he is talking about.
Wherever GST/VAT has been introduced, it has proven to be a success. Even with rates as high as 19% in Europe, Governments have not been toppled with the maintenance of this form of consumption tax.
Also, because of the timing difference between businesses incurring GST and claiming back input tax, the Govt's cash flow will improve substantially.
The big questions in porous Malaysia re GST are:
1. What items will be exempt/zero rated and what will be done to cushion the adverse effects on the middle and lower classes.
2. How efficient the Customs & Excise will be in collecting the money and enforcing compliance and coming down hard on evasion. I don't see any need for GST collection to be outsourced as Sales Tax is NOT!
3. How much it will cost per every $1 of GST collected.
One other major problem will be the short to medium term spike in inflation and permanent rise in price of goods and services as a result of business passing on to customers the increased admin cost in computerization and paper work re GST compliance.
But the real issue is the GST was introduced in Europe and Singapore when their economies had reached 1st world status. Here, Rosemajib is proposing to jump the gun when we are still somewhere between 2nd and 3rd world, and therein lies the danger with a doctrinnaire approach to economics and finance!
dpp
we are all of 1 Race, the HUman Race
Anon 10:13,
Orang kampung dah tak boleh makan lebih atau `quality food' sebab mahal, so kami pun tak boleh berak lebih dari yang sepatutnya.
Fair? Maybe to those who still can enjoy good food at fine dining restaurant, bistro, hotel outlet..for us orang kampung, a glass of milo ice cost RM1.80 at the mamak's would reduce us to consume teh `o' or `air suam' together with a piece of roti canai that might costs RM0.80-RM1.20 next month.
Too much of teh `o' consumption would restrict us from berak banyak-banyak..cannot blame the G though..
Dato,
The tipping point of the Tunisian revolution began with the self-immolation of one Mohamed Bouazizi.
Someone (I think Tunku Ab Aziz) wondered what would be the tipping point in a 'Malaysian Revolution'?
I would say it would be when the Malays wake up from their deep slumber and realize they are being hypnotized by UMNO.
They will soar the moment they free themselves of UMNO's shackles.
Part 2/2
What the government now proposes to do is to reduce and/or remove some or all of these subsidies. It wants to introduce GST, which even with some exemptions, will have the net effect of increasing the expenditure of these people, meaning their current income will buy LESS goods and services because their income remains exactly the same as BEFORE the GST is introduced. It does not take a genius to figure out that the GST coupled with subsidy reduction will hit the common folks very badly. How can they survive when their income doesn’t go up? Making their income go up in real terms is not easy in the short term because it can only happen if better paying jobs are available; and only if these people acquire new skills that will make them suitable for these new better paying jobs. There is a timing gap between higher real incomes and the immediate reduction in spending power caused by the removal of subsidies and the introduction of the GST. Already so many of our people are living from hand to mouth. These desperate measures that the government wants to introduce to deal with years of poor economic management will bring untold misery to millions of Malaysians. Let them hammer in that last nail.
Anonymous, 21 May 2011 10:13
Fair? So GST on top of our car tax? GST on top of our credit card service tax? Think dun support blindly.
Here is more statistics for digestion :-
1) 10.5m in employment
2) 1.5m pay tax
3) 9m employed pay no tax, will now pay tax
4) 28m population
5) 28m-10.5m = 17.5m no income will now pay tax
If taxpayers in nation with big income base are grumbling, it is a no brainer what will happen with income trapped nation like Malaysia !
Not just "Cilaka punya government!" Add "Gila punya government!"
Under present tax regime, a person earning gross income of RM36,000 per year (RM3,000 x 12), married, spouse not working, with say 2 children, & has a housing loan pays hardly any income tax.
Relief for self : 9,000
Relief for wife : 3,000
Relief for children : 2,000
EPF : 4,000
Books/magazines : Up to 1,000
Broadband : 500
House loan interest : up to 10,000
___________________________________
Total relief : Up to 29,500
Taxable income : Approximately 6,500 to 10,000 depending on amount of house loan & other reliefs.
Tax payable:
1st 5,000 : RM 25
Next 1,500-5,000 @ 3% RM 45-150
Total tax payable : RM70-175
If the RM36,000 pa earner is a Muslim who pays Zakat, with the additional relief the tax will likely be ZERO.
With GST, these people who now pays income tax from RM 0-175 a year will now have to pay GST @ x%, perhaps on expenditure amounting to something in the region of RM10,000-20,000 pa?
And there is no guarantee that the GST will not be in addition to the existing income tax.
Betul-betul cilaka dan gila punya government!
GST must correspond to the income level of the general population. When most of the population is hard-pressed to survive with ever decreasing purchasing power and ever increasing price increase, adding another layer of cost will drive many families to the poorhouse. If people are able to earn money to cover expenses, imposing GST is not a problem.
There is no government welfare system in place in Malaysia to help the needy. The pittance amount from the Welfare Department will shrink when prices increase. What is the point of the government imposing GST and then forced give out more welfare because people don't have enough money after subsidies are cut?
Having experienced with GST in Singapore, I can say that GST reporting and collection depend a lot on honesty. There are a lot of ways to under-report or misreport GST. Singapore still have problems with GST offences despite their strict enforcement. Malaysia will fare very much worse. GST collection will probably be far lesser than what the Malaysian government expects.
Why this issue is a big problem for BN is that NONE of the ministers have any clue why GST CAN BE wrong from the governance point of view. They often says that 15% only pay taxes and its only fair for more people to bear the burden of taxes. It shows a complete lack of the history of taxes and reason for it. Whether it makes sense for a broader population of taxes depends on firstly on the type of government Malaysian want to have. Do we want a stronger, federal govt to decide more and for more of us? Or do we envision a govt that decides less for us and for less of us? And in general, a smaller govt that decides less for us is more easily affordable for a rich nation than it is for a poor nation. In other words, the more taxes govt collect from a larger number of people is an indication of the poverty of the nation, NOT its richness.
Only after we decide the kind of nation we want, then it makes sense to argue for the kind of taxes we want.
The US federal govt did not even have the right to collect taxes when it was formed. It did not collect income taxes until 1913. Only because they decided they wanted a stronger federal govt did taxes started to increase in the US.
Clearly in this country, we think the Federal Govt need to be rolled back, way too much into our lives and into too many of us when it can do with less and without..
So why would GST make sense when its not the kind of nation we want?
Make no mistake, the GST is the Gomen's way to increase revenue by casting the tax net wider. Hey, everyone is a consumer.
Despite the so-called compensation and reduction of certain other taxes, there must be a net gain for the Gomen as a result. Otherwise why bother?
In my opinion the Rakyat don't mind paying taxes because it is one of the two guarantees in life. The other being death. But it is the way they fritter away our money that is sickening.
Dato',
So what should be done? To me it's rather simple - Change the government! Let BN be in the opposite bench for AT LEAST 5 years or maybe longer!
Dear Dato,When governments come up with tax increases and new forms of taxes be it VAT,GST or others it is because of budget deficits.When budget deficits are out of control,politicians come up with all sorts of taxes.It is the first sign of desperation,like cracks appearing on dams or reservoirs.GST is a copycat of the West and Japan.They are the ones who came up with this idea.The end results are proven.See what is happening to the " PIG'S" (Portugal,Italy,Greece,Spain).The "PIG'S" are bankrupt.They cannot even come up with the money to service their national debt.Demonstrations and people running havoc in the streets causing damages are common.There are more countries on the way behind the "PIG'S".It is going to be worse than the Asian Financial Crisis.It is because when new taxes are added,it adds extra burden on the working class.The poor are the hardest hit because they have less buying power.It then causes inflation,and when inflation is on the rise central banks raised interest rates.Then businesses and debtors have to pay more.With added burden, businesses profit margins are low.To make up they have to raise prices,but the peoples buying power is stretched they buy less.Then when sales and profits go down,businesses lay off workers.Then it becomes a domino effect and we landed as neighbours of the "PIG'S".
Datuk,
What your expect from our Goverment, just look at how stupid and unclean are the all ministers.
They dunno about economics, they just know SEX and MONEY only.
Memang Cilaka pun kerajaan kita ini! Rakyat di perkosa !
I love GST.
It means you consume more, you pay more.
15% tax bracket? but how many Merc and BMWs sold in one year?
Only the rich do not want GST!
Dear Dato',
I will only support GST if the poor,needy and underprivileged are given food stamps or assistance to overcome the inevitable increase of food stuff and essential items if GST is implemented.
But the big question-mark will be how much the assistance and help will reach the intended recipients if we go by past record ?
Dato,
Even with the program to remove subsidy is being corporatised. If country is managed like a corporate I bet those in the lower 40% would be affected and they will put their vote against BN. Let see this in PRU 13.
Dato' Sak,
The GST is not conmfirmed yet. The guy is very afraid. He will not commit to this. One street demo is enough to put the cat back into the bag. This is another flip-flop in the making. Anyone keeping tally of this?
zaidi
Dato dan Anom 10:13,
Hujah kamu berdua itu ada kebenaran nya. Tapi sistem percukaian sekarang berbanding cadangan GST, GST adalah terbaik meliput semua pengguna dan ketirisan berkurang atau tiada langsung. Supply and demand penentu banyak mana kita perlu bayar GST. GST di gunakan sepenuh nya untuk semua konsumpsi dan perkhidmatan. Maka nya konsumpsi dan perkhidmatan tak perlu dapat di kurang, yang penting semua warga malaysia 28 juta di palit dan diliputi. Sama-sama kita mengalas tanggungjawab. GST secara tidak langsung menggalakkan produktiviti, inovasi dan memuput berjimat cermat seta berhemah, konsep kemapanan ( sustainability).
Katakan : 28,000,000 (rakyat) + 5,000,000( non citizen) x 5% GST drp RM10 ( konsume) = RM 16,500,000 (GST-kerajaan). FIKIRKAN. secara teori nya GST elak ketirisan. apa yang keluar= di gunakan = baki, mass balance principle. Adil dan tanggungjawab rakyat kepada kerajaan dan pulang balik kerajaan kepada rakyat. Yang penting semua orang bayar.
LU belanja lebih lu bayar lebih. jadi tanya lah apa barang perlu beli dan tak perlu beli. Rakyat ada choise nak beli di super market, kedai retail atau pasar malam. Bila masak serupa aje, kalau lapar semua sedap?. BUKU HIJAU akan maju semula, berpuasa lah 2 kali seminggu kalau mahu kurang GST. NEED and WANT dapat di bezakan, nafsu serakah dapat dikekangkan. TAK gitu, GOM terus laksanakan GST. GST baik dan adil untuk semua.
TQ.
Sir,
I look at it from a rather simplified view.
Our country has a serious problem with implementation of existing laws, a tak-Bersih, tak-Cekap and tak-Amanah government thanks to TDM, a dysfunctional half-day Islam Had-hari with it's missing corridors and false work-with-me motto and now a half-baked ETP, yes, economic Transformed from the poor to the rich.
Our Tuans keep formulating ways to rob the treasury and steal from the rakyat.
When Petrona's contribution is due to decline, they have to come up with clever ways to hoodwink the rakyat so that they can go on milking the rakyat.
This GST do not have any chance of success until a system based on meritocracy is implemented. It will end up as a rob the poor, pay the rich scheme.
Your title is apt. Let it BE a nail in the coffin for these scoundrels.
We rakyat can never prevent the government from implementing the GST.
But Perkasa can!!
All Ibrahim Ali has got to do is scream via Utusan Malaysia that the Malay will rise in protest if GST is implemented and Najib will retreat.
Perkasa is more powerful than UMNO Youth!!!
It can even threaten UMNO.
GST? oh it is just a gimmick to tax the poor to cover up their deficit and the rich will enjoy the tax rebate.Where the money comes from to compensate the poor when they have a deficit and the present rich is taxed and the poor is exempted?Definitely it has to come from the poor to compensate the poor well the rich will enjoy the rebates.Other than the food the rich pay GST, like the poor,and for the luxury goods the rich don't have to pay any GST because they can always buy from oversea without GST and brought back into malaysia.
Aiya every Tom Dick and Harry knows GST tax the poor far far more than the well to do ones.
A 50cts increase in a meehoon is nothing to the well to does or rich guys. But to a small guy he/she has less to eat as a large proportion of their income is for food while the rich are on properties which continue to rise.
Any way let it be as far as I am concern . As a businessman it affects me none but I can make even more money by collecting such money (who says I would declare all or even do declare at all but collect anyway.)
For guys like Quiet Despair, thanks to your friends... we are going to make even more money while guys (employed guys) will have to pay more .. to us (heheheheh).
Further thanks to PSD way of awarding scholarships even more able talented and rich are packing..... no more high paying jobs. Read the article things are going up and up with no increase in salaries? Yeslah very good indeed. Very happy. Why Singapore will continue to offer high paying jobs and scholarships to these guys.
Cheers ...
anon 13.36
to the T. to the T.
But Perkasa is UMNO and UMNO is Perkasa. How ah?
Tok Sak,
Teringat saya suatu ketika dulu, TNB naikan Takrif Eletrik, ada satu mamat tu bila pemberita tanya apa pendapat dia pasal kadar takrif letrik di naikan. Dia jawab dengan yakin 'baik' pasal harga minyak dah naik...bla..nanti TNB untung boleh bagi balik kat rakyat..bla..
Sekarang, bila gomen nak kenakan cukai GST, klau ada yang tanya pendapat saya. Saya akan jawab dengan yakin 'setuju dan minta dipercepatkan' pasal nanti kalau gomen banyak dwet boleh la bagi balik kat rakyat dalam macam2 cara.
He3..Last sekali, boleh la juga Rakyat Tukar gomen A.S.A.P.
-Sender Nasib Ratyat lo..
hehehehehe .. now I can charge GST to my nasi lemak ... no one will ask.
But will i send this to the govt? Hahahaha ...
The biggest joke on this GST thingy was an idiot from the government who once claimed that GST will benefit both the people and the government as the people will be taxed less and the government will collect more taxes.
Is just unbelievable !
Dato
In other countries, government and finance minister fall when GST is implemented. That won't happen in Malaysia, no definitely not. Ministers in Malaysia have been linked to many unsavoury things including murder, rape and blatant corruptions and they are still in office. GST is just ikan bilis to them.
And the Malaysian government? they don't really care what the rakyat thinks or how the GST will burden the rakyat. The rakyat has to be subservient to the goverment, not the other way round, that's their mindset. They will do everything under the sun to stay in power ... even if it means crossing the line between what's legal and what's not.
To cut the long story short ... the GST will come and stay ... and it's business as usual for the BN government ...
"In other countries, government and finance minister fall when GST is implemented." Anon 13.24
Care to name some countries and finance ministers? Did it happen in Singapore, Europe or UK? In many countries like the USA, they have both Federal and State taxes on top of Sales Tax. Have they all fallen?
In my view, GST/VAT should eventually be introduced in M'sia, but NOT NOW when we have NOT yet reached 1st world economy status!
dpp
we are all of 1 race, the Human Race
European Country implement VAT/GST yet they rectify the wastage and leakage.
Yes Corruption is like Cancer - raise the tax or simply spend on "tak nak campaign" is utterly commandable but we all know it ended up with an extra percentage %
to them elitist pocket of umno.
I second to most of the sentiment as well comment - Jibby implement it now the GST, not only nail it the final coffin, I'm pretty certain the "feel good factor" ala Islam Had-Hari cum Pak Lah time those days when petrol was at per litre RM2.78
Chaos for sure! but alas you melayoooss and chinky who mingle with them in power at Putrajaya shout "ubah gaya hidup" and the rest will be OK.
- Ikan Tongkol -
Dear Dato,In countries governments and finance ministers fall when GST is implemented,should read, "In countries governments and finance ministers are voted out or almost voted out when GST is implemented".Take Greece and Spain for example."PIGS" act one was rescued by IMF,World Bank and EU."PIG'S act two is on the way. The IMF,World Bank and the EU think that by pumping truckloads of Euros in will solve the problem,they are in for a surprise.This is a major structural problem.Intervention will not work.When these institutions finally throw in the towels and raised their hands in defeat, than these "governments and finance ministers will fall in countries where GST is implemented".Besr regards.
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