YOURSAY ‘Zulkifli’s call for Muslims to be given special treatment is unethical.’

'Exempt Muslims from GST plan raised in cabinet'

Aries46: For a person of religious standing, Zulkifli Mohammad Al Bakri's call for Muslims to be exempted or given special treatment on Goods and Services Tax (GST) is not only ill-conceived but against the precepts of Islam that advocate fairness and equality in governance.

As a mufti, his reasoning on the basis that Muslims pay religious tax is untenable. While religious taxes paid by Muslims are used exclusively for Islamic activities and welfare, mandatory taxes paid by non-Muslims, among other government expenditure, are also channeled for Islamic activities.

Government allocations for non-Muslim religious activities are the bare minimum. Most non-Muslim religious activities are largely funded by the non-Muslims themselves.

In fact even the welfare of the poor are maintained through funds solicited from donations and fund-raising activities.

Under the circumstance, the call by Zulkifli for Muslims to be given special treatment is unethical and seems to be born out of ignorance of the religious obligations of non-Muslims.

Pemerhati: Zulkifli wants a different and more favourable taxation system for the Muslims.

As it is, we already have a different method of purchasing new properties (7 percent discount for the Malays), different method of entry to universities (easier and lower standard for Malays via the ‘matrikulasi’ examination), preferential employment for the Malays in the public service, etc.

The current taxation system is already discriminatory as the non-Muslims are not allowed tax exemption for their religious donations in the way the Muslims are allowed.

The net result of all this discriminatory treatment is that the non-Malays have essentially become ‘dhimmies’ or second-class citizens in Malaysia. Now people like Zulkifli want to further discriminate in favour of the Muslims and make the non-Muslims into third-class citizens.

Kit P: The zakat paid is already 100 percent deducted from the income tax paid. You cannot have double tax deduction on the same payment. This would be grossly unfair to other taxpayers.

Prudent: Yes, if I am correct, zakat payers are allowed to deduct the amount directly from their tax payable, meaning a 100 percent tax rebate.

This is already better than non-Muslims who donate to recognised institutions. They can only deduct their donations from their taxable income and at best get a rebate at the same percentage as their tax bracket.

What this mufti wants is a double tax rebate for Muslim's zakat payments - first as a rebate against taxable income and second as an blanket exemption from GST. Another special privilege?

Will the progressive Muslims reject this? And will the Umno-BN government adopt this as part of their divide-and-rule tactic?

Anonymous_1419570792: What a smashing, brilliant idea. I really look forward to see separate queues at the supermarkets and stores - one for the kosher hudud-compliant cash register and the other for non-kosher GST-compliant cash register.

More Malaysians will convert to Islam in order to avoid paying GST.

Alex Ferguson: Here's a better proposal. All non-Muslims and companies don't need to pay income tax. All Muslims don't need to pay income tax and GST. And Petronas don't need to pay dividends to the government.

This way, the corrupt politicians don't have any money to plunder.

Myop101: What about excise tax, stamp duties, real property gains tax, road tax, tolls, levies and such? Shouldn't the mufti ask for all these to be reduced or removed as well? Why only target GST?

LKT: Personally, I would like the 47 percent who voted for BN to pay 12 percent GST and those from the 51 percent who voted for Pakatan Rakyat to be zero-rated.

This would have been a much fairer. It would be like putting your money where your mouth is (or in this case, who you voted for).

Monty: If this was indeed brought up in the cabinet and even if the matter was not fully discussed, I demand to know what MCA, MIC, Gerakan and component parties from Sabah and Sarawak had to say. And why did they fail to inform their members?

Nes: By right if this BN government has done their job properly, no citizen needs to pay any taxes.

On the contrary, at the end of each year they should top up our Employee Provident Fund (EFP) contribution, especially those low-income citizens who have insufficient saving to last their retirement years.

Unfortunately this beautiful country is run by an ineffective, inefficient and corruption-infected administration. Malaysia Boleh?

Artong Penang: The PM had earlier proclaimed that GST is halal. I take it that gaming tax is non-halal.

Therefore it is only right that tax collected from gambling and other non-halal business be channeled for non-Muslims use only. Right?

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