GST will not burden people - Customs GST director

The Goods and Services Tax (GST) which will be implemented on April 1, will not burden the people, says Royal Malaysian Customs GST director Datuk Subramaniam Tholasy.

He said the GST model in Malaysia was based on studies of the GST system in more than 160 countries which had already implemented it.

"If we look at our GST model, all basic food products are not subjected to GST...critical and important services to the people, whether public transport, private education, private health and certain financial services, water consumption, electricity consumption up to 300 units, all are exempted from GST," he said.

He was speaking to reporters after giving a GST briefing from a business perspective to media practitioners organised by the Sabah Information Department, in collaboration with the finance ministry and domestic trade, cooperative and consumerism ministry, yesterday.

Meanwhile in PADANG BESAR, about 260 companies in Perlis which recorded an income of more than RM500,000 each were found not to have registered for GST.

Perlis Customs director Datuk Mohd Pudzi Man said information on the said companies was in the Customs database showing their income reached RM500,000 per annum.

He said most of the companies involved were small and medium enterprises, restaurants and entrepreneurs.

"We have sent AR registered letters to them, beginning yesterday. They have until Feb 28 to register. As of March 1, the customs department will carry out a massive operation nationwide," Mohd Paudzi told reporters after reviewing operations at the Customs, Immigration and Quarantine Complex, Padang Besar, ahead of the Chinese New Year next week.