‘Street demo the final answer’
Free Malaysia Today – Street demonstration – that will be the final way to pressure the government if it still insists on introducing the Goods and Services Tax (GST) next year. This is the conclusion made at an “‘Anti-GST” forum held here.
The forum was organised by Parti Sosialis Malaysia (Seremban branch), with the participation of the state PKR, DAP and PAS.
The panellists are S Arutchelvan (PSM secretary-general), Loke Siew Fook (Rasah MP), Mohd Taufek Abdul Ghani (Paroi state assemblyman) and Badrul Hisham Shahrin (PKR supreme council member). About 50 people attended the forum.
Loke promised that the Pakatan Rakyat MPs will table a motion and pressure the government to abandon the GST when the Dewan Rakyat sitting resumes on March 15. He also suggested that the only way to end government’s harassment of the poor in the form of GST is to change the federal government in the next general election.
Badrul Hisham, or popularly known as Chegu Bard, insisted that if the government js stubborn and refused to look into the plight of the people, then the only option left is for the people to take to the streets in a massive show of protest.
Chegu Bard also expressed concern that once the GST Bill is approved, the Finance Minster will increase the GST rate without tabling it in Parliament. (When the Goods and Services Tax Bill 2009 is passed, it will come into force in mid-2011 at a 4% rate. The GST will replace the current sales and services tax.)
