KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 1 — As Barisan Nasional today presented their Shadow Budget that included a string of new taxes, Pakatan Harapan MPs described it as an attempt too little, too late to redeem themselves.

Among the new policies mooted in BN’s “People’s Economic Initiative”, included reimplementing the Good and Services Tax (GST) at a three per cent rate, and the introduction of a soda, plastic bag, capital gains, and even carbon tax system.

Economic Affairs Minister Datuk Seri Azmin Ali said while he agreed for an efficient tax systems to be put in place, he stressed it should not end up burdening the rakyat.

“We’d agree if an effective taxation system is introduced which does not burden the people, especially the B40 group.”

“Revenue does not have to be (collected) only through taxes, this must be avoided, and there must be other mechanisms like open tenders and open bidding, and with no leakages,” he said.

Federal Territories Minister Khalid Abdul Samad said BN had their time and should have introduced these policies during their administration.

“They were there for 60 years, so you’ve tried, so give us a chance.

“You had your chance for 60 years and if you had any good ideas, it should have been implemented then,” he said.

Lembah Pantai MP Fahmi Fadzil, meanwhile, was more light-hearted in his response, saying they should reintroduce policies that led to their scandals at the same time.

“Why don’t they reintroduce 1MDB while they are at it? This is something they should have thought through going into GE14.

“Instead, what they did was they had protect someone who finally become the stumbling block that brought the entire block of cards of Umno-BN down,” he said in a veiled reference to Datuk Seri Najib Razak.

Meanwhile, Deputy Finance Minister Datuk Amiruddin Hamzah added the decision to reintroduce the GST was now irrelevant considering they are no longer government.

“The rakyat has made a decision and we have also make good our promise.

“So far I think it has been accepted well and I hope they (BN) will send again this idea in the next election,” he said.