CYBERJAYA, March 18 — PAS has pledged to abolish the Goods and Services Tax (GST) and scrap the outstanding debts of the existing federal study loan PTPTN borrowers as part of its manifesto for the 14th general election.
PAS president Datuk Abdul Hadi Awang today said the PTPTN debts will be offset by a federal government that would not have any leakages (ketirisan).
“Although we have no amount (of the PTPTN debt), however big it is, we have overcome.
“Because the administration that we lead, there are no leakages. When there are no leakages, then the allocations will be sufficient, there won’t be any misuse,” he said when asked if PAS knew the total amount of PTPTN debts that it would write off.
The promise to scrap the PTPTN debts is aimed at helping to reduce the burden of youths and as a first step towards the provision of free education.
Earlier, PAS deputy president Datuk Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man said the party plans to replace the GST with a tax regime that was more just, such as tax on corporate savings and tax on shares on Bursa Malaysia.
These two offers are among 20 main promises made by the Islamist party in its manifesto for the 14th general election with the theme “Malaysia Sejahtera” or for Malaysia’s wellbeing.
In the same manifesto, PAS said it would allocate 25 per cent of the government revenue from the taxes replacing GST to channel it directly to the low-income group (B40) in the form of assistance such as education aid, housing payment and initial business capital injection.
PAS also promised to restructure highway toll rates by revising toll concession agreements that exceed 15 years.
Abdul Hadi said that toll rates should gradually decrease to a point where it can be abolished, instead of increasing. He did not specify the targeted time for PAS’s plans for the eventual abolition of tolls, but said this would depend on the review of the agreements.
He pointed out PAS’s previous experience in ruling Terengganu, where he said the toll there was abolished while taxes on the wealthy, corporations and industries were increased, later adding that residents there did not complain at the tax hikes as they did not have to pay bribes.
He touted PAS’ decades-long governance of Kelantan despite limited resources, which he credited to a clean administration that had no leakages.
Among other pledges in the PAS-led Gagasan Sejahtera’s manifesto is to create a corruption-free administration of Malaysia.
The manifesto launch was attended by Gagasan Sejahtera’s leaders, including component parties Parti Ikatan Bangsa Malaysia (Ikatan) vice-president Datuk Seri Mohamad Badri Abd Rahman and secretary-general Tengku Mudzaffar Tengku Zaid; Barisan Jemaah Islamiah Se-Malaysia (Berjasa) president Abdul Kadir Mamat and deputy president Datuk Hashim Karim.
Federal Opposition Pakatan Harapan (PH) was the first to unveil its GE14 manifesto and had launched it 10 days ahead of PAS, listing out promises such as the abolition of GST to be replaced with a Sales and Service Tax regime that was deemed to be fairer and the suspension of PTPTN repayments for borrowers until they hit monthly salaries of RM4,000.
The ruling Barisan Nasional coalition’s GE14 manifesto is expected to be launched on April 7, local daily New Straits Times has reported.
GE14 must be held by this August, but may be called earlier.
