Opposition proposes GST exemption on sanitary napkins

An opposition representative today proposed at the Perak state assembly sitting that sanitary napkins be exempted from the goods and services tax (GST), which was enforced yesterday.

Chua Yee Ling (PKR-Kuala Sepetang) said women should not be burdened with the GST for a basic item they needed, to maintain hygiene during the biological process of menstruation every month.

"GST on sanitary napkins violates our basic right to hygiene," she said while debating the Royal address by Sultan of Perak Sultan Nazrin Shah here today.

As at April 3, a whopping 12,300 women had signed the petition which can be accessed at: https://www.change.org/p/malaysian-government-stop-taxing-malaysian-women-for-their-periods-period

Yee Ling also said she was expressing her views as a woman, on the impact of the GST.