Press Statement By Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng In Komtar, George Town On 12.5.2015.
Unlike Terengganu Which Will Only Be Bearing The People’s Burden of GST For One Year, Majlis Bandaraya Pulau Pinang(MBPP) And Majlis Perbandaran Seberang Perai(MPSP) Will Bear The People’s Goods & Services Tax (GST) Burden Annually, GST Remittances Of RM15.631 Million And RM5.83 Million Respectively.
The Penang state government welcomes the Terengganu state government for following what Penang and Johor has done in exempting the payment of GST for local government services to the rakyat, even though Terengganu Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Ahmad Razif Abdul Rahman said it is only for this year. Unlike Terengganu, which will only be bearing the people’s burden of GST for one year, Majlis Bandaraya Pulau Pinang(MBPP) and Majlis Perbandaran Seberang Perai(MPSP) will bear the people’s GST burden annually, GST remittances of RM15.631 million and RM5.83 million respectively.
The injustice of the GST is so high-handed and extensive, that even government services and development projects like building roads, drains, markets and public halls for the benefit of the rakyat and not for profit, are subjected to GST. That is why when Johor announced that they will absorb the GST of local government’s services and apply for exemption from the Finance Ministry, this is an act of protest and opposition to the GST as well as strengthen their appeal for exemptions.
Before Johor made the announcement, only Penang had objected to government services being subjected to GST. I had written to the Prime Minister on 4th March 2015 for an exemption for GST, without getting any reply.
The total annual GST payment of RM20.5 million is a huge sum for both MBPP and MPSP, but bearing the GST burden is necessary to show solidarity with states that are willing to take this drastic step to demonstrate strong opposition to GST. MBPP and MPSP will have to pay directly RM14.4 million and RM5 million as output tax for carrying out public works and development projects. This RM 19.9 million in output tax will be paid direct to the Customs Department.
Furthermore, both MBPP and MPSP will have to collect from the public RM1.23 million and RM863,000 for using government services as input tax for GST, which will then be remitted to the Customs Department. It is this RM 2 million input tax that is supposed to be paid directly by the public that the rakyat will save. However the public also have to indirectly pay RM19.9 million of GST in output tax paid by MBPP and MPSP because this RM19.9 million GST paid means RM19.9 million less to spend on the rakyat.
I fail to understand why Penang BN Chair Teng Chang Yeow and his pro-GST gang continues to harp that the Penang state government’s operating budget is not subjected to GST, when both Johor and now Terengganu has proved him to be lying. Teng has now tried to cover his first lie with another lie by stating that I do not know that Penang operating budget of RM 100.25 million such as salaries and pension payments were actually tax-exempted.
Penang state government’s operating budget 2015 is RM887.24 million, not RM100.25 million as claimed by Teng. Further, not only salaries and pension payments(not subjected to GST) are included in the operating budget, but also administration costs and supplies, which are subjected to GST.
I do not wish to waste any more time with a person like Teng, who is only good at making despicable personal attacks to run away from addressing the people’s issues. GST has caused financial hardship, forcing many traditional businesses like sundry shops, hardware shops and traditional Chinese medicine shop to close down. There was even a businessman in Telok Intan who attempted suicide because of GST. Can Teng answer why he supports instead of opposing the GST and what has he done to oppose lessen the burden of the people caused the GST?
LIM GUAN ENG
—-Mandarin —–
槟州首席部长林冠英于2015年5月12日在槟城乔治市发表的声明：
槟州政府与登加楼政府不同的是，登加楼政府仅吸纳人民一年的消费税开支，而槟岛市政府厅及威省市政局将会每年自行吸纳原属人民所需缴付的消费税，分别需承担1千563万1000令吉及583万令吉。
槟州政府欢迎登加楼州政府随槟州及柔佛州政府的步伐，自行吸纳人民需缴交给地方政府的消费税，尽管登加楼州务大臣拿督斯里阿末拉兹表明州政府吸纳消费税的期限仅限一年。与登加楼州政府不同的是，槟岛市政厅及威省市政局将会每年吸纳原属人民所需缴付的消费税，总额分别是1千563万1000令吉以及583万令吉。
消费税的不公平是如此的霸道和广泛，甚至连政府为人民提供的服务及发展计划，如建路、沟渠、巴刹、礼堂等惠及人民的非盈利发展，都需被征收消费税。这就是为什么当柔佛州宣布将自行吸纳地方政府服务的消费税，并向财政部申请消费税豁免时，显示了他们对消费税的抗议和反对，也强化了他们申请豁免的条件。
在柔佛州作出是项宣布之前，只有槟州政府就政府服务需缴交消费税一事提出反对声音。我在2015年3月4日，曾就此事致函首相要求豁免政府服务之消费税，惟并无取得任何回复。
槟岛市政厅及威省市政局每年需缴交的总额2050万令吉消费税，是一个沉重的负担。但是负起这重担是有必要的，以展现我们声援那些愿意采取如此剧烈方式以表达反对消费税意愿的州属。槟岛市政府厅及威省市政局依然需要分别缴交 1440万令吉及500万令吉的进项及销项税（Input & Output tax)所需缴付的消费税，以进行公共工程及各项发展计划。这1990万令吉销项税将进接上缴给关税局。
再说，原本槟岛市政厅及威省市政局将需要向公众分别征收123万令吉及86万3000令吉使用政府服务的消费税，以汇往关税局。人民将省下这笔原本必须亲自缴纳的200万令吉税务。然而，公众却还得间接缴纳1990万令吉的消费税，因为当槟岛市政厅及威省市政局自行缴纳1990万令吉消费税，就表示将少了1990万令吉使用在人民身上。
我实在无法了解槟州国阵主席邓章耀及他那群亲消费税党继续咬着说槟城州政府的行政开销并没有消费税，但是柔佛及如今的登嘉楼证明他正在说谎。邓章耀现下正在尝试以一个谎言掩盖另一个谎言，指称我不知道槟州1亿又25万令吉的行政开销预算其实是免税的。
槟州政府2015年的行政开销预算是8亿8724万令吉，不是邓章耀所说的1亿又25万令吉。甚且，行政开销预算不只只有薪资及退休金，还得包括了各种管理费用及各种供给是涵盖在消费税中。
我不愿再浪费时间在邓章耀这个只会在人民课题上以制造卑劣人身攻击作为逃避的人身上。消费税已经导致人们的财务困南，导致各传统行业如杂货店、五金店及中药店被逼关闭。甚至安顺的小商家也因为消费税的困扰而自寻短见。邓章耀是否可以回答他为何支持而不是反对消费税，他是否有反对消费税来减轻人民因为消费税所带来的负担？
林冠英