‘We’re helping the poor, even without GST’
KUALA LUMPUR: Finance Minister Lim Guan Eng yesterday said the government will continue to help Malaysians in the Bottom 40 per cent (B40) category despite the zero-rating of the Goods and Services Tax (GST).
He was responding to former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s claim that the people would suffer following the removal of GST, which was a major source of revenue for the previous administration.
Lim said GST was such a heavy financial burden that the people had no choice but to vote out Barisan Nasional (BN).
Otherwise, he said, GST would have continued and there would be no end to the people’s “economic distress”.
Lim said warnings from the opposition that the country would go bankrupt without GST had been proven false.
“We have fulfilled our promise to get rid of GST. Despite Najib saying we will not be able to help the poor if we removed the GST, we have carried out our duty to help the underprivileged.
“We are still helping the poor under the Bantuan Sara Hidup (BSH) programme.
He said the next BSH payment would be on Aug 15, a week before Hari Raya Aidiladha.
He said RM1.6 billion would be paid out to 4.1 million people.
Lim said the poor had benefited from the government’s move to stabilise the price of petrol, which was previously determined under the managed float system.
He said despite the hike in global oil prices, the government had maintained fuel prices at RM2.20 and RM2.28 per litre for RON95 and diesel respectively.
“The government is expected to spend up to RM3 billion on fuel subsidies this year.
“So to say that the government is neglecting the poor is wrong. Even without GST, the government is able to continue helping the poor and, at the same time, ensure the country is back on track.”