Prime Minister Najib Razak’s boast that Malaysia’s GST has the most exemptions in the world contradicts the principle of simplicity in implementing the tax, said a DAP lawmaker.

“(Najib’s) assurance is a complete paradox and ironically serves to prove that Malaysia is not yet ready to implement the GST,” said Petaling Jaya Utara MP Tony Pua in a statement today.

Pua explained long list of zero rated and tax exempted items has made the goods and services tax ineffective, and defeats the purpose of a GST that is supposed to be efficient because of its simplicity.