KOTA KINABALU: All Sabahans, especially youths, are urged to support the government in the scheduled implementation of the Goods and Services Tax (GST) next year.
Sabah Youth Council president Kevin Lim, who made the call on Tuesday, said it was crucial for Sabahans to support the government to ensure smooth implementation of GST on April 1, 2015.
“The people must understand that GST is not an additional tax. It is a comprehensive tax system that is proven in 146 countries, including the United Kingdom, Japan, Germany, Sweden, Holland, Denmark and Singapore.
“It will be introduced in place of the soon-to-be-abolished Sales and Services Tax, and the people of Sabah would do well to support the government to ensure its smooth implementation,” Kevin said at the Sabah Youth Consultative Council meeting.
Present to officiate at the ceremony was Youth and Sports Minister Datuk Tawfiq Abu Bakar Titingan.
Kevin added the Sabah Youth Council would help enhance the people’s understanding, especially youths about GST and its implications on the country and economy.
He is confident that the country’s economy will thrive with the new tax system and will generate a condition where Malaysians, including Sabahans, will prosper.
“In his speech during Merdeka Day recently, the Prime Minister stated an upward trend in our current economy and the Gross Domestic Product had risen to 6.4 percent from 4.5 percent in the second quarter of last year.
“This is Malaysia’s highest GDP since the fourth quarter of 2012 and we are the highest in terms of GDP in ASEAN in the first quarter this year,” said Kevin.