The implementation of the Goods and Services Tax (GST) starting yesterday witnessed an increase in the price of several items that should not be subjected to GST.    

Checks by Bernama on the prices of goods in some wholesale markets and provision shops around the capital, found the prices of perishables such as fish and vegetables had increased, though the items are classified as a zero-GST.    

A pensioner, Mohd Zuki Md Yatim 50, said he noticed an increase in fish prices in a wholesale market here.    

"Before this, one kilogramme of kembong was sold at RM14, but today it was RM17 per kg," he told Bernama.    

He said although the price tag indicated that the fish was not subjected to GST or zero-rated, there was a significant increase in the price, which forced him to limit his purchase.    

Meanwhile, a trader in a wet market in the capital, Rosminah Kaylan, 60, said wholesale price of several types of perishables had increased in the past few days.    

"One kilogramme of ginger which I used to buy at RM45, went up to RM48 per kg yesterday," she said, urging the enforcement authority to step up monitoring of traders taking advantage of the situation.    

Old receipts blamed

However, a shopper Yow Kok Chaw, 50, said the GST implementation had no great impact on him.    

"The GST imposed is very minimal and does not affect my monthly expenses much," he said when met at a hyper market in Wangsa Maju.    

In the meantime, the first day of GST implementation also caused confusion among shoppers who were not aware of GST charges in the sales receipts.    

Some supermarkets were still using the old receipt system which does not show the GST charges clearly but six percent was charged in the unit price of every item.    

A hypermart was found issuing two different receipts; a receipt showing the GST amount charged overall and another receipt with the GST charged for every item purchased.    

The hypermart manager said shoppers should request the cashier to print a copy of the second receipt with the breakdown of GST charged on the total purchase.     

- Bernama