Only those who do not love the country will evade paying taxes, says Universiti Utara Malaysia (UUM) senior lecturer in finance and accounting, Rohami Shafie.

NONE In his column in Utusan Malaysia today, Rohami also echoed Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak in calling those who refuse to pay taxes, including the goods and services tax (GST) to be implemented from April 2015, as unpatriotic.

“(Tax evaders) are unpatriotic citizens who are irresponsible to the country and fellow citizens,” he wrote.

Rohami argued that implementing the GST would expand the tax base and raise government revenue, and this could help reduce corruption.

This was because “the main factor for corruption is insufficient income to sustain everyday life”.

According to Rohami, this is proven by the correlation between household debt, bankrupcy rates and the number of corruption cases.

“As household debt and bankruptcy rises, corruption cases also crop up here and there,” he said.

He added that paying taxes would also strengthen the national economy and help reduce national debt, thus raising the country's financial profile.

On Sunday, Najib at an event to explain the GST said that tax dodgers are “ traitors ” to the country.

Gov't's lavishness discourages taxpayers

Commenting on this in his blog yesterday, veteran journalist A Kadir Jasin ( below ) said that people are increasingly reluctant to pay taxes due to “the view that the government is lavish and corrupt”.

NONE He also questioned Najib's seeming “desperation”, which seemed “untypical” of a government which has always assured the rakyat that the Treasury is filled.

“As a further proof, civil servants are paid bonuses. The poor are being promised higher BR1M. The government is spending billions engaging consultants .

“Ministers and their spouses are jetting around the world, purportedly promoting diplomacy and attracting investments,” Kadir wrote.

Najib's comments were also lambasted by Seputeh MP Teresa Kok, who said it was finally an admission that the country's finances are not as peachy as previously claimed.