I strongly refute MCA Deputy President Mah Hang Soon’s claim that scholarships are subject to the Sales and Services Tax (SST). His statement is gravely misleading, creates confusion, and undermines confidence in the education sector as well as society at large.
I emphasize that scholarships are a form of educational assistance. In essence, they are a gift, not a commodity or service, and therefore cannot possibly fall within the scope of SST.
This is the most basic accounting and taxation knowledge, even a first-year accounting student would understand it. How could Mah Hang Soon, a former Deputy Minister, not grasp such a simple tax concept? Is there really not a single accountant in the entire MCA who can explain this to him?
I criticized Mah Hang Soon for stubbornly refusing to admit his mistake and for making slanderous remarks by deliberately portraying scholarships as subject to SST. This is a textbook example of misinformation and fear-mongering.
In global education systems, scholarships have never been treated as a taxable service. Yet Mah Hang Soon continues to manufacture lies and false narratives, seriously undermining the confidence of educators, parents, and students. If MCA continues to tolerate such rhetoric, it will only create unnecessary anxiety for families and educational institutions.
Education is the foundation of national development and talent cultivation. The Unity Government fully supports the scholarship system to help more students complete their studies, attract more international students to Malaysia, and strengthen our nation’s position as a regional education hub.
Mah Hang Soon’s remarks not only mislead the public but also damage the international credibility of Malaysia’s education system. His words are harmful to the country’s efforts to attract foreign investment and international students.
I reiterated that Mah Hang Soon must immediately retract his false statement and publicly apologize to parents, students, the education sector, and the people of Malaysia. Otherwise, it would be clear that he is deliberately smearing the government and education policies for political gain through false information.
In a democracy, truth matters. The people will not tolerate politicians spreading lies just to score cheap political points. If Mah Hang Soon truly cares about education, he should offer constructive suggestions instead of relying on deception to seek attention.