I HOPE to share my views, as a tax specialist with a thorough understanding of GST, on the preference for GST instead of SST. GST/VAT has been perfected today by several generations of international tax experts since its implementation in France in 1954. SST has been abandoned by the world and there are no special benefits of its re-introduction. What are the benefits of implementing this tax regime? GST is in line with international systems of indirect tax and SST is going against the world trend.
If the Pakatan Harapan Government must implement the SST, please tell the people what are the benefits of this tax regime. Why are there no countries in the world which use SST?
Moreover, rushing for implementation without a clear understanding of national fiscal policy, implementation road map, advice from the country’s tax experts and impact analysis will not ensure that the cost of living can be reduced.
I want to see more economic facts and references to support SST than a pure concept. I want the Government to issue an exposure draft for the public to provide feedback.
We had the previous government which tabled, read and passed a bill within a few days in Parliament. I hope that this will not happen again.
You can find the article at The Star Online dated on August 1, 2018.
https://www.thestar.com.my/opinion/letters/2018/08/01/is-the-sst-a-good-idea-to-replace-the-gst/