KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 11 — Datuk Seri Najib Razak today criticised Finance Minister Lim Guan Eng’s dismissal over the Sales and Service Tax (SST) being charged on food items like steamed buns (pau).

In a Facebook post, Najib showed a screenshot of his receipt from the pau shop and questioned why he had been charged SST when he is a consumer.

“Yesterday, Lim Guan Eng was angry and said I was dishonest. He said the pau was charged 6 per cent SST (rate) now which is also the same 6 per cent GST (Goods and Services Tax) then.

“Why change the tax system when, if the price of the goods did not go down even after GST was abolished.

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“Didn’t Guan Eng say that SST taxes are only applicable to manufacturers and not consumers. I am not a manufacturer, why am I taxed 6 per cent?” Najiba sked.

Najib also clarified that he was charged 6 per cent on an ice lemon tea that he ordered, which has already has been taxed at 10 per cent, according to the SST list of taxable goods.

“According to the latest SST schedule, sales tax on ice lemon tea is 10 per cent meaning that when the shop purchases the ice lemon tea from the manufacturer, the 10 per cent tax is already included in the price,” he said.

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“That means with an additional 6 per cent charged on the store, I pay 10 plus 6 per cent tax, higher than GST’s 6 per cent,” he added.