With the general election over, Prime Minister Najib Razak is poised to spring the controversial Goods and Services Tax (GST) on the country, said DAP.

dap kluang ceramah 200413 liew chin tong According to the party's political education director Liew Chin Tong ( right ) who levelled this charge, it seems that the move tops Najib's list for implementation after the polls.

"Indeed, I have been alerted that the appointment of Umno propagandist Ahmad Mazlan as deputy finance minister - one of the strangest of Najib's appointments - is for him to coordinate the propaganda for the implementation of GST," he said DAP.

"With Idris Jala's latest revelation, the BN government is finally letting the GST cat out of the bag," he added.

Liew in a statement today pointed out that Jala's soft sell of a GST pegged at 7 percent at a forum yesterday was clear sign that the tax would be rolled out soon, after having kept it in low profile before the polls.

"Najib Razak has been hiding BN's intention to introduce the GST for some time, knowing full well that it is an unpopular move and detrimental to the economy.

More trouble for the poor?

"Pakatan Rakyat had repeatedly warned that BN's return to government in the 13th general election would mean a higher tax burden for the man on the street, especially through the introduction of GST, seen as Barisan Nasional's method to balance the subsidy-heavy budget."

NONE Liew, who is also Kluang MP, said the government needed the extra cash flow in light of various subsidies such as BR1M aid to the poor.

However, he noted that the impact on the low income group from the tax will more than offset the amount they are promised in the promised cash handouts.

Opposing the tax, Liew said Pakatan's formula of reducing corruption, wastage and cronyism would be a better alternative.

"Without addressing systemic corruption and cronyism, the government has no moral right to impose any new tax whether it is GST or something else," he said.