COMMENT | There are two strong reasons why Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim should reintroduce the goods and services tax (GST) in the forthcoming budget this month - to fight corruption and help government finances.

But Anwar, who is also the finance minister, needs to pick up some courage and push back against political pressure.

GST was heavily politicised in the 2018 general election because of a handy confluence of convenience and lies, causing it to be prematurely killed after three years and a lot of hard work. More on that later.

The GST improves account keeping. The very act of getting refunds in the GST process ensures everyone keeps good accounts in the value chain. A close examination of these provides...