All 106 questions concerning the goods and services tax (GST) raised by the anti-GST activists could have been answered if the group did not "besiege" the office of the Customs Department, Deputy Finance Minister Ahmad Maslan asserted today.

 

“I believe the questions would have been answered if they had come in a proper manner,” Ahmad said after attending an explanation session on the GST and other issues at the PWTC in Kuala Lumpur.

 

“Don’t try to besiege the area. You will be treated nicely if you come properly. But if you come screaming and shouting, it becomes an illegal demonstration."

 

The minister added that the group should have set an appointment beforehand.

 

“We meet many organisations, some which ask for help and some which ask to be excluded from the GST. We receive all of them nicely,” he said.

More than 100 activists stormed the office of the Royal Customs and Excise Department in Kelana Jaya yesterday, with demanding answers to 106 GST-related questions.

 

This led to the arrest of at least 80 activists, after a stand-off with the police that lasted several hours.

'Questions easy to answer'

Ahmad, in the event organised by the Overseas Umno Club Alumni, also took a dig at the activists, claiming that the questions were actually “easy” to answer.

“One of their questions was why is prawn not GST-exempt but lobster, for the rich, is GST-exempt.

“The answer is that prawn, lobster, dried shrimp and dried lobster, all of these would not be taxed under GST.

“That was one of their questions, which is easy to answer. The whole world knows that (prawn and lobster) will not be taxed under the GST,” he said.

He added that the ministry, together with the Customs Department would hold a session to answer all questions posed to them.

“Like today, if they had come properly and asked the questions, I will answer all the questions,”  Ahmad said.

As for concerns that the prices of goods would increase once the GST is implemented come April 1, he said the ministry would hold a “special refund” programme for traders.

“The special refund is refund given for stock in hand, which will start on April 1 on the condition that the goods are taxable supply.

“But the refund can only be claimed by traders who have registered for the GST.”

With the special refund programme, traders no longer would have a reason to increase the prices of goods, Ahmad ( left ) said.

“Instead, the prices of goods will decrease as traders should minus the sales and services tax (SST), which is normally between eight and 10 percent, before adding the six percent GST on the goods,” he added.