‘AG’s Chambers needs to prioritise GST cases’
The Attorney-General’s Chambers should prioritise cases involving the Goods and Services Tax (GST).
Deputy Finance Minister Ahmad Maslan said this was to ensure all cases or investigations could be expedited with their prosecution in court.
“With this, we can gain the confidence of the people when they see more errant traders facing action,” he told Bernama .
He said this after attending a two-hour information dissemination briefing on GST, budget and current issues organised by the national MIC in Brinchang near Cameron Highlands yesterday.
He said, as of Sunday, the Domestic Trade, Cooperatives and Consumerism Ministry said 815 investigation papers had been filed nationwide, including 44 cases which were brought to court.
Apart from that, Ahmad ( photo ) said manufacturers of various products had been urged to announce the lowering of prices as carried out by car companies, following the implementation of GST on April 1.
He said product manufacturers should not give any more excuses as the Finance Ministry had issued a list of products which should not be affected by GST, yet they took advantage of the people’s ignorance.
“Product manufacturers mentioned in Twitter @Ahmad Maslan’s posting should announce the lower prices from 10 percent Sales and Services Tax (SST) to six percent under GST,” he added.
He said the ministry would not hesitate to take stern action against manufacturers even though it was the traders who imposed unreasonable prices.
“In the first month, we tried to persuade, in the second month, we will be bringing their cases to court. In the third month, we may be even more aggressive.”
Meanwhile, on those who negatively responded to the GST, Ahmad said the process of education and persuasion was a long-term process.
“We cannot make everyone understand at one time. After all, from the psychological aspect, no one wants to pay taxes,” he said.
The deputy minister also did not rule out the possibility of the opposition and opposition like-minded traders as the biggest challenge to the GST implementation.
“This is a challenge to us but in the end, the consumers will use their power to choose, boycott and report, to discipline errant traders,” he noted.
- Bernama
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