KUALA LUMPUR — Barisan Nasional chairman Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi has urged MIC to decide whether it wants to remain in the coalition, or have BN make the decision.
“A certain party had decided at their annual general meeting that they would leave it to their leadership (to decide) whether they want to remain in BN or not, but they do not have a decision.
“I say, if they do not have a decision, we will decide for them,” Free Malaysia Today quoted the Umno president saying in his opening address at Makkal Sakti’s 17th annual general assembly in Perai, Penang, today.
Zahid confirmed to reporters later that he was referring to MIC, and said that he had interpreted the party’s letter seeking inquires about opposition bloc Perikatan Nasional as a sign that it had shifted loyalty.
Reiterating his stance, Zahid added: “We don’t want a situation where one thing is said in the morning, then something else in the afternoon, and another thing tomorrow.”
Yesterday, Zahid said that MIC’s status in BN will be discussed in the coalition’s Supreme Council meeting next month.
Previously, MIC’s 79th annual convention deferred the decision on whether to stay in BN to party president Tan Sri SA Vigneswaran and the Central Working Committee (CWC). Vigneswaran later said the party is prepared to work with any bloc that respects its principles and ideology, including Pakatan Harapan.
Zahid also today said that the BN leadership will meet soon to decide about a possible rebranding or restructuring, especially in regards to hurdles that prevent new “Friends of BN” parties from joining the decades-old coalition.
He stressed that the current constitution stipulates that admission of a new party requires the unanimous approval of all BN component parties, namely Umno, MCA, MIC and Parti Bersatu Rakyat Sabah.
GST to return?
On another matter, Zahid said that BN will push for the return of the Goods and Services Tax (GST), which he dubbed as a fairer and more effective tax, after the 16th general election .
“SST is given a chance for the time being. There are still two years left (to GE16),” Zahid, who is also Deputy Prime Minister, reportedly said in his speech.
He added that GST was the “best tax regime” which allows for more efficient revenue collection, ensures fairness across all income groups, and enables the government to channel larger allocations back to the people.
The GST, a multi-stage consumption tax, was introduced on April 1, 2015, at a standard rate of 6%, before being zero-rated on June 1, 2018.
It was replaced by SST on Sept 1, 2018 in line with the manifesto of the then Pakatan Harapan-led administration.
The government had previously said that GST would only be reconsidered once economic conditions improve and the minimum wage reaches RM4,000 or more.