RM1,000 + per family pa to feed the criminals of BN/UMNO

Home News Biz Sports Utusan Borneo thesundaypost Columns seeds.theborneopost.com Archive Home - News - Sarawak PKR anti-GST campaign says families taxed RM90 per month Posted on April 13, 2015, Monday Sim (front, eighth right) in a photo call with PKR leaders and supporters, holding their anti-GST banners outside Telang Usan Hotel here. MIRI: PKR launched its Anti-Goods and Services Tax (GST) campaign here, which in translation means families pay RM90 in GST tax per month. Penang’s Bayan Baru MP Sim Tze Tzin, in a press conference held at Telang Usan Hotel here yesterday, said the party at both federal and state levels, had been observing the implementation and effects of the GST since April 1. Sim claimed that feedback they received showed that the people were very distressed with the new policy. “Prices for almost all essential goods also had increased drastically since implementation of GST on April 1, clearly burdening the poor,” he said. Sim called GST a regressive tax that oppresses the poor and the needy, citing a study by Penang Institute that each household has to pay the GST tax on an average of RM1,080 per year (RM90 per month). He also said PKR rejected the implementation of GST because 80 per cent of households in the country are eligible to receive the 1Malaysia People’s Aid (BR1M) where the recipients are those who earn below RM3,000 monthly. “With the implementation of GST, the lower income group will be forced to pay tax which is not fair for them,” he added. The campaign was first launched in Kuala Lumpur on Saturday and it aims to collect one million signatures, which they hope would overturn the policy. As at yesterday, the petition had collected 16,000 signatures. “By May 1, we want to collect at least 200,000 signatures. Those who want to sign for the petition can do so on our website www.bantahGST.com,” Sim said. PKR is also giving away anti-GST stickers to the public to enhance the nationwide campaign. Some 10,000 stickers have been printed out and are ready to be distributed. Miri MP Dr Michael Teo and PKR women vice-chief Voon Shiak Ni were also present at the press conference. Read more: http://www.theborneopost.com/2015/04/13/pkr-anti-gst-campaign-says-families-taxed-rm90-per-month/#ixzz3XK0z6vyy

criminals in BN/UMNO wants to rob more from GST, 1MDB , EPF etc etc

Monday, 13 April 2015 17:08 Why so many anomalies in Malaysia's GST? font size decrease font size increase font size Cetak E-mel Komentar (4) Rate this item 1 2 3 4 5 (3 votes) Why so many anomalies in Malaysia's GST? THE mechanic is popular in the area. The cars of the neighbourhood are under his care. And there's a reason for his repeat clientele. After he's done with your car, he presents the itemised billing and a plastic bag containing the parts he has changed. The last line in the bill is classified under "labour cost" which varies on the amount of time he or his co-workers spent on your car. If he called it "service charge", would anyone bat an eyelid? So, when the waiter at a five-star hotel presents the bill for the meal complete with the service tax and GST, would you refuse to pay for the service? This is the crux of the issue that politicians and civil servants are falling over themselves and yet unable to provide plausible explanations for their antics which have now become a comedy of errors. Let's get to basics. There is no law preventing anyone from imposing a fee for his or her services. And this comes with a caveat – the person who pays for the service or goods must be aware of such charges. So, if you are presented with a food menu with the words "All prices subject to 6% GST and 10% service charge", you take cognizance that such a fee exists. If you don't agree, you walk away to another outlet. This forms the basis on which price tagging laws have been promulgated – to enable the customer to know what he is paying for – no hidden charges whatsoever. So, what is this hullabaloo about having to display collective agreements between workers and employers before outlets can charge service tax? The public wants to learn and acquire knowledge. Please enlighten us as to which statute or regulation requires outlets to make such displays? To put it on record, I have perused all the laws which the minister and his civil servants have been referring to – the Profiteering Act, the Supply of Goods Act, the Price Control Act and even the Trade Descriptions Act. There is not a single clause which makes it mandatory for such agreements to be displayed. And it has been common practice for hotels to levy a service charge, which is distributed to employees on a scale based on points. And that's perhaps why these outlets have defied the so-called directive and continue to impose the service charge. What action can be taken for such rightful defiance? Nothing, zero, zilch, kosong! The Malaysian Association of Hotels says only 7% have collective agreements with the respective unions. So, is the government saying: "These 7% can collect the charges and the remaining must not levy the charges"? Its president Cheah Swee Hee hit the nail on the head when he said that the way ahead is to sit down and talk to stakeholders. Why was this not done before some people shot their mouths off? Rightly, he said: "It is not only the practice here but the world over. Allowing only unionised hotels to get this benefit is a double standard." But a moot yet important point: The majority of the population does not wine and dine at such up-market outlets. They eat out at stalls or restaurants. Why address an issue which only caters for the well-heeled and affluent? Again, the consumer must be given a choice if he wants to eat at some posh place or the mamak stall down the road. No one is putting a gun to anyone's head and compelling him or her to an outlet which has all kinds of charges. The price of "ice kosong" is now 50 sen and Chinese tea 80 sen. Has anyone raised an issue? Honestly, nothing can be done even if tap water is priced at RM10 as long as there is a price list or menu. From Day One, there had been little or no discussion on GST with stakeholders. Judging from the health minister's remarks, it is obvious that even government departments and agencies were not consulted. Datuk S. Subramaniam has requested the Customs Department to broaden its list of GST-exempt medication saying that most medications used in normal treatments should be exempted including cancer medication and treatment as an example. He stated that when the list was provided, it contained over seven thousand types of medicines. Stating that Customs Department is still reviewing the list and has yet to respond, Subramaniam reiterated that the exemption list ought to be widened. So, who was consulted when the list of goods were picked? It is ironical that tinned sardines are subjected to GST and fresh lobsters exempted. On the issue of GST, it would not be wrong to say that the Customs Department goofed. In most countries, three areas – household goods, health and education are not touched. Even when touched, consideration is given to goods or services which would affect the ordinary person. The inevitable question is: Why was not there a consultation process? Why are there so many anomalies and doubts? There is a thick line between ignorance and stupidity. However, some bungling civil servants have intertwined both at the expense of the rakyat. - Sundaily http://www.malaysia-chronicle.com/index.php?option=com_k2&view=item&id=493531:why-so-many-anomalies-in-malaysias-gst?&Itemid=3#axzz3X5LxTxwA

With GST in Sabah, why still got Sales tax for 4D, Toto tickets etc???

With GST in Sabah, why still got Sales tax for 4D, Toto tickets etc???

23,000 queries on 1 April

http://www.malaysiakini.com/news/294041 The government seems to be getting conflicting reports about the number of complaints over the goods and services tax which came into effect yesterday. Domestic Trade, Cooperatives and Consumerism Minister Hasan Malek said over 23,000 complaints about the GST were filed via the MyKira GST application yesterday.

Prices up never go down...

GST: Greedy coffee shop owners told to stop cheating KUCHING: A number of coffee shops in the state that are not affected by the Goods and Services Tax (GST) raised prices of their drinks yesterday to fleece customers. Their acts were so sickening that Sarawak Federation of Coffee Shop and Restaurant Merchants’ Association chairman Hii Hung Yii and Sibu Coffee Shop and Restaurant Merchants’ Association chairman Tong Ing Kok saw it fit to issue verbal warnings. “Most coffee shop owners in Sarawak still maintain the same price as before the implementation of GST. There are, however, some who use the excuse of GST to raise prices on their own. “To those coffee shop owners whose turnover is not more than RM500,000 annually, I want to warn them not to do so as it is against the law. “They may be punished under the Price Control and Anti-Profiteering Act if caught,” Hii told The Borneo Post yesterday. Sarawak Federation of Coffee Shop and Restaurant Merchants’ Association has more than 4,000 members across the state. Meanwhile, Tong was also fuming that some coffee shop owners in Sibu had also raised the prices of their drinks despite numerous warnings from the Ministry of Domestic Trade, Co-operative and Consumerism (KPDNKK) and the association. “Coffee shops have been warned not to increase their prices within the first six months of the implementation of GST. “But some ignored the warnings. “What has GST got to do with them? What these unscrupulous traders are doing is bad for all of us and are tarnishing our image and reputation, especially their own. “What they are doing will not bring them any good. Customers will complain. The KPDNKK officers will also notice and conduct investigation on them. “At the end, they will be the ones in trouble,” said Tong. Tong said some coffee shops could charge GST because of the size of their business. For this category of coffee shops, the six per cent GST would be clearly stated on the receipts. “If a customer were to be told that a coffee shop charges GST, the customer must ask for a receipt. If the coffee shop cannot produce the receipt, it means the coffee shop is not paying GST. “I urge all our members not to cheat the people. Government officers are monitoring closely and at this time when the GST has just been implemented, everyone is on high alert. “The trick of these unscrupulous traders will definitely be exposed, and they will face the full force of the law.” said Tong.

How do we implement GST with less than GST tax agents of 3,000?

How do we implement GST with less than GST tax agents of 3,000? There are 400,000 clients registered for GST -big and small and largely SME with turnover between RM500,000 to RM2,000,000. Are such 400,000 taxpayers/businesses suddenly so clever to comply with the GST which is complex in Malaysia? I believe it if BN/UMNO greedy ILLEGITIMATE government under Najib implement on 1 April, 2015, most of these sme business owners would end up paying lots of unsustainable penalties and likely end up in jail. Then who would be in business? If we have 400,000 clients, each client would need minimum 2 staff well versed in GST to handle this function, then we need 800,000 trained staff to implement GST. Such companies - many accounts done by owners themselves/partimers with some part time assistance from junior people - would be hard pressed to deal with daily chores and GST compliance is a burden. How to cope with business matters now burdened with more penalties? If the Government is wise, and they think software is the answer to everything, then it is damned wrong. Each business has its own intricacy and software costs is draining much cash resources even before GST is started and the solution of GST is yet untouched and unsolved. If the Government is wise, there should have trained a few hundred thousands of graduates in GST and subsidise them (for at least two years) to work for firms in need of such staff to comply. Afterall all the GST registered companies collect on behalf of the Government, that revenue under GST. So now it is too late and many businesses may just decide to give up to avoid heavy penalties and jail sentences- not once but all the way daily when offence can be committed in compliance. When too many businesses give up, the economy would be adversely affected by various impacts namely prices across the board would rise (demand and supply), jobless people would increase, more families can be destitute, debts would rise, crimes would rise, ill health in society would exacerbate, and other social ills like break up of families and children go without education and other problems could be endless. The worst can be in Sabah. Hence I advocate zero rate for Sabah for 5 years until Sabah catch up with Malaya. We all need to learn from mistakes aplenty but GST would generate a new set of worse mistakes. Joshua Y. C. Kong PM of IGGG M. http://fresh-air-in-iggg.blogspot.com

tough deals

Action on dodging firms begins; RM1.2b target in Sabah revenue from GST: Customs Published on: Tuesday, March 03, 2015 Kota Kinabalu: A special all-out operation called Ops GST has been launched by the Customs Department to trace companies which failed to register for the Goods and Services Tax (GST) before the Feb. 28 deadline. State Customs Director Datuk Dr Janathan Kandok (pic) said these companies would be compounded RM15,000 and registered according to the existing procedure. Those who fail to settle the compound within two weeks can be fined up to RM30,000 or jailed up to two years or both. Janathan said the operation is part of a nationwide effort to trace companies which "forgot" to register despite being given warnings and leniency to do so months ago. "In Sabah, a total of 18,625 companies out of the estimated 20,000 eligible companies had registered for GST as of Feb. 28 and a total of 1,375 companies have yet to do so," he told the State-level launch of Ops GST at the Wisma Kastam here. The operation would be conducted in Kota Kinabalu and major towns such as Tawau, Sandakan, Lahad Datu and Keningau, among others. "This is a joint effort which involves 16 teams of officers and personnel from three divisions in the Customs Department, namely the GST Division, Compliance Division and Enforcement Division," he said. On another note, he said the Customs Department was targeting to collect a total of RM1.2 billion in revenue from GST, levy, import tax and export tax this year. The department also for the first time invited a lion dance troupe to add joy to the launching ceremony in conjunction with the Chinese New Year celebration. In KUALA LUMPUR, the Customs Department has issued compounds of RM15,000 to 100 companies for failing to register. Companies with an income threshold of RM500,000 had to register for the GST which comes into effect on April 1. Customs Department GST Director Datuk Subromaniam Tholasy said it is important for companies to register as the department needed to provide a level playing field for businesses. "By not registering for the GST, the firms have a competitive advantage. This will create a lot of confusion and is unfair to those compliant businesses," he said. "The system is in place. But my main concern is the preparation of the businesses, as failure to understand the GST guidelines will result in the companies facing problems, especially in the early stage of implementation," he said. Due to this, Subromaniam advised business owners to read and understand the relevant guidelines available on the Customs Department's GST online portal or contact any of its offices, should they need further clarification. As of Feb 28, there were 345,376 companies registered for the GST. The initial registration deadline was set for December last year but extended to Feb 28.