jpnn.com, PUTRAJAYA – Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said his government does not plan to impose goods and services taxes or other excises for broad-based consumption, but will reduce subsidies for the rich to reduce the national debt.
When asked by lawmakers whether to impose additional excise duties on the people to deal with the increase in state debt during a hearing at the People’s Council Building which was attended online in Kuala Lumpur, Tuesday, Anwar replied that he would reduce subsidies for the rich as was done for electricity subsidies.
“As I explained to the Council in the last session, despite the previous government’s decision to increase electricity rates, the government has now canceled the proposal and is only subject to the T20 group (earnings of RM 10,970 or around Rp. 38.26 million per month), multinational companies. and other large companies except for companies involved in food safety,” said Anwar.
Reducing other subsidies for the rich is also applied for the same emphasis, for example diesel subsidies which in 2022 will reach 20 billion ringgit (around Rp. 69.76 trillion), but in the study of the Head of State Audit half of that volume has been sold through oil stations, he said .
“Therefore, if we can save 5 to 6 billion ringgit from the leak, (then) it will help,” said Anwar.
In terms of economic growth, bearing in mind that domestic and foreign investors are starting to enter, Anwar believes that the settlement of the state debt will increase without burdening the people.
Source: JPN News