Deputy Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin tonight blasted the opposition for trying to scare the people on the goods and services tax (GST).

He said despite the opposition knowing the new tax collection system would be more effective than the old system, they still distorted the matter.

"They say the GST would put people in difficulty...overburdened with higher taxes. When in fact the BN government's approach is to ease the burden of the people, more goods are exempted from taxes.

"When the opposition touch on the GST issue, they do not mention this (the benefits)," he said when addressing attendees of an Islamic Arts Night at the Sungai Limau Dalam Rural Transformation Centre at Yan.

Muhyiddin said the GST system will be more effective as revenue collected would be channelled back to the people via development and aid programmes like the 1Malaysia People's Aid (BR1M).

Also present was Dr Ahmad Sohaimi Lazim, the BN's candidate for the Sungai Limau by-election.

- Bernama