KUALA LUMPUR, March 7 — The Pakatan Harapan pact will hold a rally to protest the Goods and Services Tax (GST) next month, federal opposition leader Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail announced today.

“Pakatan Harapan calls on all Malaysians that want a change to join in the Abolish GST Rally, which will be held on April 2 in Kuala Lumpur in conjunction with the first year of Malaysians being burdened by GST,” she said in a press conference.

Parti Amanah Negara (PAN) president Mohamad Sabu or better known as Mat Sabu is in charge of organising the rally, Dr Wan Azizah added.

The opposition pact has repeatedly protested the implementation of the GST, claiming it significantly reduces the purchasing power of most Malaysians, especially the bottom 40 per cent of wage-earners.

Several financial reports issued by banks and consultancy firms last year showed the GST has had a negative effect on businesses as consumer spending dropped over inflationary concerns.

Putrajaya maintained that the tax was vital in expanding the country’s revenue stream and said it earned over RM20 billion from the consumption tax as at December 2015.