Najib practises ‘economic hypocrisy’, says Guan Eng

GEORGE TOWN, Sept 10 — Finance Minister Lim Guan Eng has accused former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak today of practising “economic hypocrisy and deception” when the latter recently tweeted about the Sales and Services Tax (SST) being imposed on pau that he bought.

The Bagan MP expressed his surprise at Najib’s complaint that he had to pay SST of 6 per cent for pau when previously, the Goods and Services Tax (GST) was also imposed on food items.

“Why the former finance minister didn’t complain when GST was imposed on all food items? Or maybe it is now that he realised that he has to pay 6 per cent to shops?” Lim asked in a press conference here.

He said it is obvious that Najib was being a hypocrite to complain about the SST, which is also 6 per cent, now when his administration had imposed 6 per cent GST on everything across the board.

“This shows that he is using this pau issue to deceive the people. It shows that he still wants the GST,” he added.

“The difference between SST and GST is that SST has a higher threshold value of RM1.5 million, while GST threshold was RM500,000,” Lim said.

He said businesses are only required to impose SST if their revenue exceeds RM1.5 million annually.

He said the rental of small stalls and sale of cigarettes to F&B operators were also exempted from SST.

With the higher threshold, Lim stressed that many businesses are not subjected to SST.

Yesterday, Najib tweeted that he had to pay SST when he bought pau from a shop in Tanjung Malim.

He claimed that SST was imposed even in small shops.