Opposition must find alternative economic plan to abolish GST - Rahman Dahlan

Pakatan Harapan has been challenged to come up with an alternative economic plan if they want to abolish the Goods and Services Tax (GST).

Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Datuk Abdul Rahman Dahlan said the opposition must have an alternative plan to gain back the revenue that would be lost from abolishing GST.

"The opposition can be popular by saying they want to abolish GST once they are in power, we have mega development projects going on such as the Pan Borneo Highway and East Coast Rail Line (ECRL). It would be a lie to the people if they could not figure how to gain back the lost revenue," he said when met by reporters after the Sustainable Development Guide workshop here today.

Abdul Rahman also said that the opposition must make a unilateral decision on the matter, as there was a conflict regarding their stand on GST.

"There are so many signs from the opposition until Malaysians are confused with what they say. For a while they want to abolish it, and later they want zero-rate it. Clearly, the opposition do not have a concrete economic policy if they win in the election," he said.

On another matter, Abdul Rahman also criticised the Penang State Government for planning to increase the water tariff from 48 sen to RM1 per thousand litres.

"The state government is going against their own election manifesto. Previously, they claimed that Barisan Nasional (BN) has been cruel to the people of Penang and could not take care of them. And look what happened now. The trend of selling state land has become more rampant and even local NGOs (Non-governmental organisations) are worried about it. This shows that the state has a poor way of managing the economy," he said.

Penang Water Supply Corporation (PBAPP) chief executive officer Datuk Jaseni Maidinsa said yesterday that the surcharge would affect about 126,000 households out of a total of 504,400 because they used over 35,000 litres a month each.

If the National Water Services Commission (SPAN) allow the hike, this will be the fourth time that the state has increased its water tariff. -BERNAMA