Activists take to the streets as new tax looms

Hundreds held simultaneous demonstrations against the impending implementation of the goods and services tax (GST) in five major towns in peninsular Malaysia last evening.

Organised by the Oppressed People's Network (Jerit), the hour-long protest was timed to attract the attention of after-work commuters with placards warning how the new tax will burden the population.

The protest marked the start of a wider campaign which includes a tweet protest targeted at Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak, followed by a rally outside Parliament tomorrow.

Najib is expected to reveal details on the GST during his Budget 2013 speech tomorrow and it is uncertain when the new tax, which has been on hold since 2009, would be fully implemented.

"This is only the initial protest, we are happy that so many came even on a working day. If the GST is passed, we will mobilise an even bigger crowd... thousands... because everyone is affected," said PSM's M Saraswathy, who was part of the protest at Medan Kidd, Ipoh.

Wrong priorities

Ipoh saw the largest crowd at about 100. According to Jerit's national media coordinator E Parameiswary, about 30 to 50 people participated in similar demonstrations elsewhere.

"We don't want the government to implement the GST. Our income is not as high as the Europe countries... We have just implemented the minimum wage of RM900. A nation must have high income to pay GST but most of our workers have a very low income.

"You can't implement GST just to get money from people," Parameiswary said.

She suggested that the government looked elsewhere for revenue before "punishing" the people with a new tax. The government has registered budget deficits 15 years in a row and is planning to implement the new tax to help meet the shortfall.

"We see the auditor-general's reports, there are a lot of wastage there. Why don't you better start with that... stop corruption first," she said.

Jerit officials said most protestors yesterday comprised low-income earners and some students. Apart from Medan Kidd, similar protests took place in Brickfields, Seremban, Johor Baru and Malacca.