Faizal: Government should consult ex-PMs before expanding SST
He argued their experience could help find better ways to boost national revenue without burdening the people.
Ahmad Faizal criticised the government for taking 'shortcuts' by imposing taxes, cutting fuel subsidies, and raising electricity tariffs without exploring wiser alternatives, saying public disappointment with SST is widespread.
'Surely there are various ways we can increase the country's revenue to provide better services to the people without burdening them again.
'If the government wants to take the SST approach, I would like to suggest that the 10th Prime Minister meet with these three great former prime ministers who have served the country extensively.
'Ask them what is the best way forward. I am confident they are willing to share their ideas and views,' he told reporters after officiating the Tambun Bersatu Division Annual Conference at the Casuarina Convention Centre on Saturday.
The former Perak Menteri Besar said that nearly all traders and customers he spoke to during his market visits expressed disappointment with the SST. —July 6, 2025
Main image: Relocating To Malaysia
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Free Malaysia Today
an hour ago
- Free Malaysia Today
PD Bersatu defends proposed leadership change after backlash
Port Dickson Bersatu's motion proposed that Hamzah Zainudin (left) take over as the party's 'main leader', with party president Muhyiddin Yassin becoming an adviser and mentor instead. PETALING JAYA : Port Dickson Bersatu has doubled down on its motion for a change in the party leadership, after a backlash from multiple party colleagues, including a vice-chief of the division. Port Dickson Bersatu deputy chief Akkil Aizat Othman, who tabled the motion at the division's annual general meeting (AGM) over the weekend, said he would not withdraw the proposal. 'I will not withdraw the motion. The division will issue a statement today to explain the contents of the motion,' he told FMT. The division's vice-chief, Shuhazlan Ali, claimed that the motion brought to the AGM was Akkil's personal view and did not reflect the wishes of the grassroots in Port Dickson. Akkil fired back, accusing Shuhazlan of not attending division meetings, including its AGM over the weekend. 'He only issued a press statement without reading the actual motion and which branch tabled it,' he said, denying that Port Dickson Bersatu was divided because of the motion. Port Dickson Bersatu's motion proposed that Hamzah Zainudin take over as the party's 'main leader', with Muhyiddin Yassin becoming an adviser and mentor instead. It also proposed that Bersatu vice-president Radzi Jidin handle the party's administrative matters, currently managed by secretary-general Azmin Ali. The motion was unanimously approved. Bersatu information chief Tun Faisal Ismail Aziz however played it down, saying Muhyiddin still had the support of the majority of Bersatu's grassroots to remain as party president.
Free Malaysia Today
an hour ago
- Free Malaysia Today
Two-time prime minister Dr M turns 100
Dr Mahathir Mohamad held the post of prime minister twice, from 1981 to 2003 and again from May 2018 to February 2020. PETALING JAYA : Malaysia's longest-serving prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad turned 100 years old today, reaching a century of life marked by decades of political influence. Mahathir, the youngest of nine siblings, was born on July 10, 1925 in Alor Setar, Kedah. He led the Barisan Nasional (BN) government from 1981 to 2003 and held the top post again from May 2018 to February 2020 under the Pakatan Harapan (PH) administration, after helping to topple BN from power. He is known as Malaysia's 'Father of Modernisation' for the initiatives he carried out as fourth prime minister, including iconic infrastructure projects like the Petronas Twin Towers, KL Tower, KLIA, and Putrajaya as the nation's administrative hub. Mahathir also oversaw the launch of Malaysia's first carmaker, Proton Holdings Bhd, and introduced the Look East Policy, promoting education and business ties with nations like Japan and South Korea. During his first tenure as prime minister, Mahathir presided over the rise of the Malaysian economy as an 'Asian Tiger', pushing industrialisation to drive the economy. He also promoted the extensive privatisation of the economic sector, including many government-owned companies like Tenaga Nasional Bhd and Telekom Malaysia Bhd. He was seen as key in navigating the Asian financial crisis, choosing bold measures like capital controls and pegging the ringgit to the US dollar instead of seeking help from the International Monetary Fund. Mahathir, now an adviser to the PAS-led state governments of Kedah, Kelantan, Terengganu and Perlis, remains a divisive figure in Malaysian politics. He has been openly critical of his former deputy, Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, as well as PH and Umno, a key component in the unity government. He and his wife, Dr Hasmah Ali, 98, have seven children: Marina, Mirzan, Melinda, Mokhzani, Mukhriz, Maizura and Mazhar.
Free Malaysia Today
an hour ago
- Free Malaysia Today
Bersatu poster boy better, even with PAS leading PN, says analyst
PN chairman Muhyiddin Yassin was said to have offered PAS his role under a leadership rotation plan, but Abdul Hadi Awang, president of the Islamic party, reportedly declined the offer. PETALING JAYA : Rotating the Perikatan Nasional (PN) chairmanship will pave the way for PAS to lead the coalition, but the pact's poster boy for the 16th general election is still likely to come from Bersatu, an analyst says. Mazlan Ali said a Bersatu representative might be better suited as the prime ministerial candidate in efforts to win over non-Malay voters – a key demographic which PN consistently struggled to attract in past elections. The Universiti Teknologi Malaysia academic said that PAS continued to be viewed by non-Malay voters as a conservative party due to its Malay-Muslim narrative. 'The chances of PAS leading PN are slim. Even though there have been suggestions that PAS could take the lead, I believe the PN chairman and poster boy should come from Bersatu. 'If PAS leads the coalition, it's unlikely to broaden PN's appeal among non-Malay voters because the party is closely associated with a Malay-Muslim agenda,' he told FMT. It was recently reported that PN chairman Muhyiddin Yassin had offered PAS his role under a leadership rotation plan. However, the offer was declined by PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang, who reportedly expressed full support for Muhyiddin to remain at the helm. Universiti Malaya analyst Tawfik Yaakub said PN's leadership structure needed a revamp to better connect with non-Malay voters. He said one possible approach was to reach out to Barisan Nasional component parties such as MCA and MIC. He said PN needed to strengthen the influence of Indian and Chinese parties within the coalition, as efforts through the Malaysian Indian People's Party (MIPP) and Gerakan had largely fallen flat. 'MIPP and Gerakan function more as token component parties to check boxes in PN. The coalition should bring MCA and MIC into the fold – only then can its strategy to win over non-Malay voters begin to materialise,' he said.
