SIBU: Assistant Minister of Youth Datuk Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah lambasted PKR yesterday for wanting to rally against the implementation of Goods and Services Tax (GST) on May 1.
He described it as just another political rally aimed at causing a nuisance and inciting hatred towards the government.
He was commenting on a recent media report saying that PKR Kanowit would work with other non-governmental organisation (NGOs) to stage a rally against GST implementation in Kanowit town this May 1.
Its secretary George Chen had claimed the implementation of GST was burdening the people and pushing up the prices of most goods.
“What does PKR hope to achieve with this proposed rally?” Abdul Karim, who is also Asajaya assemblyman, said.
“PKR Sarawak is still sleeping and does not know the mechanism of its (GST’s) application. I advise them to wake up from their slumber.”
He added that PKR should know that the majority of countries in the world are using GST.
“Even Selangor, which is headed by PKR, has accepted GST and is applying it.”
Abdul Karim slammed for saying GST good for the people
ReplyDeleteSIBU (Apr 16): PKR Kanowit branch chairman Thomas Laja yesterday slammed Housing Assistant Minister Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah for making comments on Goods and Services Tax (GST) which he (Thomas) termed a lie.
“Abdul Karim said recently that the implementation of GST brings benefit to the people. That, to me, is a lie,” he reiterated.
Thomas said: “Average household income in Malaysia is still below par. How can he (Abdul Karim) say that the new taxation is good for the people when they have to pay RM90 minimum every month on GST?
“I believe with that RM90, there are a lot of essential items people can buy, especially rural folks.”
Speaking at a press conference in PKR Lanang office at Pedada Road here, Thomas suggested that Abdul Karim go to the ground to verify if people were not burdened by GST.
“People are angry because of the tax. If GST is really for development, then the people should have no questions.
“But if it is to pay RM42 billion 1Malaysia Development Board (1MDB) debt, then the people should not be forced to sacrifice to pay government’s debt,” he said.
He corroborated that even Umno veterans like Tun Dr Mahathir and Tun Daim Zainuddin said GST was burdening the people.
On a similar matter, Thomas said PKR Kanowit would stage a peaceful protest on GST in Kanowit town on May 1.
“It is to create awareness among people of the effect and impact from GST,” he said.
http://www.theborneopost.com/2015/04/16/abdul-karim-slammed-for-saying-gst-good-for-the-people/
Pengerusi PKR selar kenyataan Abdul Karim berhubung GST
ReplyDeleteSIBU (Apr 16): Pengerusi Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) Sarawak Cabang Kanowit Thomas Laja menyelar komen Menteri Muda Perumahan Datuk Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah berhubung isu Cukai Barangan dan Perkhidmatan (GTS) baru-baru ini.
Ketika ditemui pemberita di pejabat PKR Lanang di Jalan Pedada semalam, Thomas berkata Abdul Karim mengelirukan rakyat dengan kenyataan pelaksanaan GST membawa manfaat.
“Pendapatan purata isi rumah di Malaysia masih di bawah par. Bagaimana Abdul Karim boleh berkata bahawa cukai baharu baik kepada rakyat apabila mereka terpaksa membayar minimum RM90 setiap bulan untuk GST?
“Saya percaya dengan RM90 itu, rakyat terutama di luar bandar dapat membeli banyak barang keperluan lain,” pertikainya sambil menambah Abdul Karim harus turun padang mengesahkan jika rakyat tidak menanggung beban GST.
Tambah beliau, rakyat berasa marah disebabkan pelaksanaan cukai dan memberitahu jika GST adalah untuk pembangunan, maka rakyat sepatutnya tidak mempersoal mengenainya.
Thomas berkata, vete-ran UMNO seperti Tun Dr Mahathir dan Tun Daim Zainuddin turut menyifat GST telah membebankan rakyat.
Dalam perkembangan sama, Thomas berkata PKR Sarawak Cabang Kanowit akan mengadakan bantahan secara aman di pekan Kanowit pada 1 Mei depan.
“Ia untuk mewujudkan kesedaran dalam kalangan rakyat akan kesan GST,” katanya.
http://www.theborneopost.com/2015/04/16/pengerusi-pkr-selar-kenyataan-abdul-karim-berhubung-gst/
GST still a burden to rural folk, says PKR Kanowit man
ReplyDeleteMIRI (Apr 15): A call has been made on Assistant Minister of Housing Datuk Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah to visit the rural folk, especially those in Kanowit, and see for himself the impact of the Goods and Services Tax (GST) on them.
PKR Kanowit secretary George Chen said this in response to Abdul Karim’s statement recently saying that the state PKR was still unclear about the implementation of GST.
“PKR Sarawak is still sleeping and does not know the mechanism of its (GST’s) application. I advise them to wake up from their slumber,” the assistant minister was quoted of having said.
In response, Chen urged Abdul Karim – who is also Assistant Minister of Youth Development – to go to the ground to see for himself the impact of GST on the people, before telling PKR to ‘wake up’.
“In the news published (on thesundaypost), Abdul Karim claimed that Selangor, which is headed by PKR, has accepted and is applying GST – which is not true. In fact, we have video evidence showing that Selangor Menteri Besar Datuk Azmin Ali is against the implementation of GST,” he said at a press conference here on Sunday.
Chen said the implementation of GST since April 1 had caused so much trouble for the people, especially the rural poor.
He noted that apart from the increase in prices of necessities, coffee shops and restaurants were also charging 10 per cent service charge, on top of the newly introduced six-per cent GST.
Moreover, he said since the implementation of GST, people were worried about whether they could sustain throughout the year having to pay the GST and bear the increase in prices of goods.
“We would like to call on him (Abdul Karim) to come to Kanowit and see for himself the dissatisfaction of the people there (on impact of GST).”
“The government has been promoting GST, saying that it would benefit the people. We, at PKR, would like to know how it can do that.”
Having said this, Chen said PKR would never blindly go against the implementation of GST – provided that the country’s GDP per capita reached US$45,000 (RM120,000) per year.
“If we reached that level, then everybody could afford to pay for GST. On the other hand, most rural Sarawakians earn only a few hundred ringgit a month,” he added.
In addition, Chen said PKR would continue with its proposal to stage a rally this May 1, in protest against the implementation of GST.
http://www.theborneopost.com/2015/04/15/gst-still-a-burden-to-rural-folk-says-pkr-kanowit-man/