The government has no plans to increase the six per cent Goods and Services Tax (GST) rate even if the Barisan Nasional (BN) wins the coming 11th Sarawak state polls, says Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak.
He rubbished state DAP chairman Chong Chieng Jen's propagation that the GST would be increased by at least 10 per cent following a drop in government revenue after the price of global oil dropped tremendously.
Describing this (the so-called increase in GST) as a big lie, he said: "There is no such plan to increase the GST in Sarawak or anywhere else in Malaysia, and as the finance minister, I give this commitment.
"We will maintain it at its current level," he said when addressing a meet-the-people session at the Eastwood Golf and Country Club here tonight.
Also present were Najib's wife, Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor, Sarawak Chief Minister Tan Sri Adenan Satem and wife, Puan Sri Jamilah Anu and other state cabinet members.
Najib said even though oil price dropped in the world market, the government would look for other sources to finance development efforts in the country.
He said the opposition was expoliting the GST to make the rakyat hate the government.
He added the people should not allow themselves to be taken in by opposition rhetorics that GST was burdening them because without it, the government would not be able to build more schools, hospitals or health centres in rural and urban areas, especially in Sarawak and other states.
"We cannot even build the RM16 billion Pan Borneo Highway," he said.
Najib said the people should disassociate themselves from the politics of fear and hatred which the opposition wanted to spread.
"We do not subscribe to this politics of expediency. We do not seek to be a populist government. We are a government that always tries to do the right things for the people."
He said if there were people who wanted to change the government, they should not do it unconstitutionally as the ballot box was the best way to change a government.
"The people should learn from the bitter expriences of the Arab nations involved in the Arab Spring which had only resulted in chaos, domestic tension, economic failures and innocent people losing their lives," he added.
Meanwhile, Najib said political stability and overall security of the country was in very good hands through the BN government.
"We do face real threats from the Daesh extremists where more than 140 Malaysians have been known to be involved and seven had been killed as suicide bombers.
"In Sabah, we face the Abu Sayap terrorist groups. But we do know how to deal with these threats."
On the coming state election, Najib reminded the people to give Adenan and his team their fullest support as he had administered the state excellently.
"He must have the support of all. Give him and his team the biggest majority," he said.
Najib added as overall head of the BN, he would only recognise those who contested under the BN's dacing symbol.
Later, he announced a goverment grant of RM350 million to upgrade and expand the Miri Government Hospital, phase by phase under the 11th Malaysia Plan.
Bernama
Fri Apr 01 2016
The government has no plans to increase the 6% GST rate even if the BN wins the coming 11th Sarawak state polls, says Najib. -Bernamapix
Projek solar: Mahkamah dengar rayuan Rosmah pada 23 dan 24 Okt
Dalam pengurusan hari ini, Rosmah diwakili Akberdin dan Datuk Jagjit Singh manakala Timbalan Pendakwa Raya K. Mangai hadir mewakili pihak pendakwaan.
Pelaksanaan SKDS 2.0 bantu elak ketirisan, seludup diesel berterusan
Pelaksanaan Pelaksanaan Sistem Kawalan Diesel Bersubsidi 2.0 (SKDS 2.0) bersama Industri Pengangkutan Barangan merupakan langkah dalam mewujudkan persekitaran kondusif bagi mengelak ketirisan.
Nahas helikopter Lumut: Pengamal media, orang ramai diminta tidak sebar video insiden
Beliau berkata dalam situasi sekarang, orang ramai seharusnya menghormati waris dan keluarga mangsa yang terlibat dalam nahas itu kerana video tersebut akan memberi kesan kepada mereka.
Nestlé Malaysia kembali perkenal peraduan Nestlé Gaji Seumur Hidup, bantu penuhi impian rakyat Malaysia
Nestle Malaysia memperkenalkan semula peraduan Nestle Gaji Seumur Hidup sebagai sebahagian daripada komitmen berterusan dalam meningkatkan kesejahteraan rakyat dan menyumbang kepada komuniti tempatan.
Wanita simbah OKU dengan air panas dipenjara 10 tahun, hakim sifatkan kejam
Mahkamah menyifatkan perbuatan seorang wanita yang menyimbah air panas terhadap lelaki sindrom Down sebagai kejam dan tidak berperikemanusiaan.
Malaysia kecam serangan Israel di Rafah
Wisma Putra dalam satu kenyataan pada Selasa memaklumkan menjelaskan situasi di Rafah amat membimbangkan mengambil kira risiko bencana kemanusiaan yang tinggi.
Tunjuk perasaan pelajar AS gesa genjatan senjata Gaza
Polis menahan puluhan individu dalam perhimpunan pro-Palestin di Universiti Yale pada Isnin
Perkembangan terkini nahas helikopter TLDM di Lumut
Wartawan, Umavathi Ramayah membawakan perkembangan semasa nahas helikopter di Lumut.
Penyiasatan melalui data sistem pemantauan penerbangan
Ketua Unit Penerbangan Mencari dan Menyelamat, Prof Madya MEJAR Dr Mohd Harridon Suffian, berkata usaha mengenalpasti data penting akan ditumpukan oleh pasukan mencari dan menyelamat bagi melengkapkan siasatan berhubung nahas.
Latihan lintas hormat udara perlu ketepatan masa dan trajektori
Pandangan itu dikongsikan Ketua Unit Penerbangan Mencari dan Menyelamat, Institut Teknologi Penerbangan UniKL, Prof Madya Mejar Dr Mohd Harridon Suffian sewaktu diminta mengulas antara punca yang boleh diramal susulan insiden dua helikopter bertembung dan terhempas di Pangkalan Tentera Laut Diraja Malaysia (TLDM) Lumut, Perak pagi ini.
DAP Sarawak beri jaminan main peranan 'backbenchers' Kerajaan Perpaduan
Kesemua Ahli Parlimen DAP Sarawak memberi jaminan akan memainkan peranan sebagai ahli 'backbenchers' (penyokong) Kerajaan Perpaduan yang ditunjangi Pakatan Harapan (PH) di Dewan Rakyat.
PRU15: PH perlu 12 kerusi Sabah, Sarawak untuk bentuk kerajaan
Chong Chieng Jen berkata, keputusan itu adalah hasil tinjauan yang dilakukan pelbagai institusi penyelidikan jam 6 pagi kelmarin.
PRU15: Pertembungan tiga penjuru di kerusi Parlimen Stampin
Perebutan kerusi Parlimen Stampin menyaksikan pertandingan tiga penjuru antara Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS), DAP dan Parti Bumi Kenyalang (PBK).
PRU15: DAP Sarawak muktamadkan senarai lapan calon
DAP Sarawak akhirnya melengkapkan senarai lapan calonnya yang akan bertanding dalam Pilihan Raya Umum Ke-15 (PRU15).
PRU15: DAP Sarawak akan guna logo roketnya
DAP Sarawak akan terus menggunakan logo roketnya pada Pilihan Raya Umum ke-15 (PRU15) walaupun parti Pakatan Harapan yang lain menggunakan logo perikatan itu.
PRU15: DAP Sarawak umum calon di lapan kerusi hujung minggu ini
Lapan kerusi itu adalah Bandar Kuching, Stampin, Mas Gading, Serian, Sarikei, Sibu, Lanang and Bintulu.
DAP Sarawak bantah jika PRU15 diadakan ketika bencana banjir
DAP Sarawak membantah dan tidak akan menyokong sebarang cadangan bagi mengadakan Pilihan Raya Umum ke-15 (PRU15) ketika negara berdepan bencana banjir.
PRU15: DAP Sarawak tunggu masa sesuai dedah kerjasama blok pembangkang
Pengerusi DAP Sarawak Chong Chieng Jen enggan mengulas mengenai status rundingan kerjasama antara parti-parti pembangkang di negeri itu termasuk pembahagian kerusi menjelang PRU15.
DUN Sarawak: Pindaan RUU Kanun Tanah tidak menguntungkan rakyat Sarawak - Chong
Usaha Kerajaan Sarawak untuk meminda definisi tanah di dalam Rang Undang-Undang (RUU) Kanun Tanah tidak akan memberi keuntungan kepada rakyat negeri itu.
PRU15: DAP Sarawak setuju tubuh jawatankuasa rundingan bincang penyatuan pembangkang
Jawatankuasa tersebut akan mengetuai proses penyatuan parti pembangkang bersama DAP Sarawak dengan agenda untuk menumbangkan PN, BN dan GPS.