PH leaders reject Ahmad Maslan’s SST claim
Kampar MP Chong Zhemin says Chinese business support for PH cannot be judged solely by dissatisfaction with the SST.
Pakatan Harapan leaders have rejected claims by Umno Supreme Council member Ahmad Maslan that Chinese businesses are abandoning the coalition due to dissatisfaction with the sales and service tax (SST). Kampar MP Chong Zhemin, who heads Perak DAP's economic development bureau, stated that voters' choices are influenced by a range of factors beyond the SST, including the cost of living, economic performance, political stability, and governance.
He emphasized that the SST is a collective decision made by the unity government comprising Umno and Barisan Nasional (BN), and therefore cannot be solely attributed to PH. Ahmad Maslan asserted that Chinese business owners are opting for the goods and services tax (GST) over SST, as it allows for input tax credits and refunds. Chong urged Ahmad to present his proposal to the government if he believes GST is a superior option, rather than blaming PH for a policy also endorsed by Umno.
Amanah secretary-general Faiz Fadzil also dismissed the claim, pointing out that poor communication has been used by opponents to spread a racial narrative. He affirmed that Chinese votes remain with PH, and PH needs to address the imbalance in support from Malay voters. Faiz noted that while PH has implemented several beneficial policies, particularly in economic management, it must improve its communication to enhance public understanding of its efforts.
He considered Ahmad Maslan's criticism as an opportunity for the unity government to reassess unpopular policies, emphasizing that all parties in the government must share responsibility for the SST decision, regardless of whether they are from PH or BN.
Written by urgent.news from Free Malaysia Today's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
