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Saturday, October 11, 2014

Traders happy with GST-free fuel, retirees feel left out

Azhari Musiran runs a burger and nasi lemak stall in Shah Alam. He welcomes the move to help youth own homes as outlined in Budget 2015 yesterday. – The Malaysian Insider pic by Afif Raiezal, October 11, 2014.Azhari Musiran runs a burger and nasi lemak stall in Shah Alam. He welcomes the move to help youth own homes as outlined in Budget 2015 yesterday. – The Malaysian Insider pic by Afif Raiezal, October 11, 2014.
Even as traders welcomed the goods and services tax (GST) exemption for RON95 petrol, diesel and liquid petroleum gas (LPG), pensioners are feeling left out of Budget 2015.
Petty traders interviewed by The Malaysian Insider around the Klang Valley and Penang said they were delighted with the government's tax-exempt move for its positive impact on the cost of goods used for their business.
"We are happy that the price of petrol will not increase, this ensures that the price of other goods does not go up. This gives us relief," said Zaki, a kuih seller from Sungai Buloh.
"The increase to 300 units of electricity is good. And if the government wants to encourage people to read more, it is a good move to make all books exempted from GST," said pensioner Sam Yee, 67, from Butterworth.
GST, when it comes into force on April 1 next year, will not be imposed on children's colouring books, exercise, reference and text books, dictionaries and religious books, it was announced in the budget yesterday.
Financial adviser Borhanizam Awang Ngah, however, asked if the GST exemption for RON95 and other fuels would only be for a short time.
"We don't know how long will these things be exempted from GST. Sometimes this government does things halfway and then, we won't know," Borhanizam, 26, said.
Yee from Penang said he was still worried about the lack of clarity over the new tax, as no one could tell the real impact of the GST until it was implemented.
The budget was "good, generally speaking", he said, considering the cash aid the government would be giving out to help the people cope with the cost of living.
But he was disappointed that government pensioners were not going to get more aid.
"When you have plans to increase the allowances and salaries of everyone in Parliament, how can you only give pensioners RM250 as special aid?"
Government pensioners will receive a one-off special financial assistance of RM250 under the budget. The bonus for civil servants was also kept low, at half-month with a minimum payment of RM500.
But the country's 222 MPs and 70 senators will enjoy a raise in their allowances.
MPs' allowances will go up from the equivalent grade 54 in the civil service to the equivalent grade of Jusa C. For the senators, their allowances will be up from the equivalent to grade 48 to the equivalent between grade 54 and Jusa C.
Salaries and allowances for Dewan Rakyat and Dewan Negara Speakers and their deputies would be raised from January 1 next year, and the government is to later decide on the salary scheme for the prime minister, deputy prime minister, ministers and deputy ministers. 
Also expressing disappointment with the special aid for pensioners was Mohd Salleh Yahaya, 62, who felt that this group of people have been overlooked by the government.
"It feels like they don't care. The government hardly raises our pension, never enough to help us cope with inflation.
"These days, people living with a household income of RM4,000 can find it a challenge, too," said the father of four from Penang, who has two children in university.
Even the higher 1Malaysia People’s Aid (BR1M) failed to impress him.
BR1M recipients earning a household income of under RM3,000 a month will get RM950, an increase of RM300 from the previous quantum.
Recipients from households earning RM3,000 to RM4,000 a month will get RM750 while individuals age 21 and above earning less than RM2,000 will get RM350.
Salleh said the programme was not a good economic policy for the country as it did not impact on the middle class.
"BR1M still does not help the middle-income groups. They are the largest group in the economy and they are feeling the heat more than the other groups.
"The poor is eligible to all sorts of welfare help from the government while the high-income group will carry on comfortably. Those stuck in the middle are just trapped and they will go on feeling the economic pressures.”
Azahari Musiran, who runs a fast food stall in Shah Alam, welcomed the scheme to help married youth earning not more than RM10,000 buy a home with aid for monthly instalments.
Azahari said the RM200 a month was similar to previous schemes and was, therefore, nothing new.
"The homes-for-youth scheme is a great thing, but it has not much difference from the scheme before this.”
Borhanizam also said the Youth Housing Scheme which allocated 20,000 units of houses eligible for a 10% loan guarantee from the government was not enough.
"At least, there should be a quota in every district or state," he said.
The 20,000 units are available on a first come, first served basis.
- TMI

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