When outlining the government’s reasons to introduce the controversial Goods and Services Tax (GST) yesterday, the Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak said that Malaysians can prove their patriotism by paying taxes.
He said that the definition of patriotism in our country is that we must discharge our responsibility to the country for the good of the people and the nation.
He was also quoted as saying that implementation of GST was necessary as the country risked becoming bankrupt like Greece if it resorted to borrowing.
It is shocking that the Prime Minister has resorted to the use of patriotism and possible bankruptcy as reasons to justify the introduction of GST.
Is he getting desperate or is it because he simply cannot find any more reason to justify implementation of the controversial tax after his earlier arguments have been destroyed by the Opposition?
While it is the responsibility of citizens to pay taxes, one’s patriotism should not be linked to taxpaying. Does it now mean to him that those who pay more taxes are more patriotic?
Even in some countries where politicians like to link patriotism to paying taxes, the remarks are only directed at the rich and super rich and aimed at calling them to pay more tax to help the nation.
Pakatan Rakyat has argued that Malaysia is not ready and that GST is a regressive tax which will affect the poor.
Is it fair for the Prime Minister to justify introduction of GST by talking about patriotism to the poor?
It is even more shocking that Datuk Seri Najib has said that it is either GST or bankruptcy? This shows he is even prepared to use the fear tactic to justify introduction of GST. It appears that when reason cannot justify, fear tactic will be employed.
What he ought to do is to first explain to the people why has the nation’s debt been going up, especially at a faster rate in recent years?
According to an article in Centre of Policy Initiatives website, from 1997 to 2007, the debt level rose from RM91billion to RM274 billion. This is an increase of RM183 billion, or an annual average addition of debt of RM18.3 billion. From 2008 to end of 2012, there was an increase of RM 228 billion in 5 years and debt level at end of 2012 was RM 502 billion. The average increase in debt in this period was RM 45.6 billion per year.
Secondly, Datuk Seri Najib should explain to the people what effective steps will be taken to resolve problems of corruption, leakage and wastage and why has there been no announcement of austerity measures?