Najib assures Malaysians GST will not be a burden

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak today assured Malaysians that the goods and services tax (GST), a progressive tax system to be implemented on April 1, 2015, will not burden them.

He said the new tax structure, which is adopted by 90% of the countries in the world, must be implemented in Malaysia to ensure sustained and continued growth for the country.

Najib (pic) said Putrajaya was not rushing into implementing the GST, as it had studied its implications for the past 30 years and was convinced that it would benefit the people and country.

"Be assured, I will not burden the people. As the Barisan Nasional Chairman, I will not inconvenience them as the government is backed by the people’s support," he said when closing a briefing session on GST at the Putra World Trade Centre in Kuala Lumpur today.

The government will implement the GST at a fixed rate of 6% to replace the present Sales and Services Tax at 16%. – Bernama