SHAH ALAM - Pakatan Harapan (PH) must eat their own words, which argued against the policy and implementation of the previous government especially in terms of the Goods and Services Tax (GST) as well as the rare earth element (REE) mining.
Muafakat Nasional (MN) Supreme Council Member Datuk Tun Faisal Ismail Aziz said PH's tone changed after becoming the government when it did not refuse to reintroduce GST, besides appearing to recognize REE mining.
"We see at this time, the PH unity government has to admit that the action of returning to the Sales and Services Tax (SST) is a backward policy which is to use a consumption tax that people do not use anymore.
"Because when it governed before, and went back to SST, it was clearly detrimental," he said.
The government on Monday, reportedly did not rule out reintroducing the GST which was abolished earlier.
Economy Minister Rafizi Ramli said the government will prioritize strategies to expand the country's revenue sources including developing a Capital Gains Tax that will be implemented in 2024.
However, Tun Faisal questioned the appropriateness of the re-implementation of GST at this time since Rafizi once stated that it was not relevant to be implemented during the administration of the former Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak.
"If Rafizi sticks to his words, he cannot introduce GST, so the government should not implement it now," he said.
He said PH had recently learned the importance of REE as an important source of energy.
"While they were in the opposition they were against REE as they influenced by opposition sentiments and did not have enough knowledge. We heard some leaders saying that REE is similar to a nuclear reactor.
"Now they understand REE should be made into a wealth source that the nation can benefit from," he added.
Asked about the government's actions of asking the opposition to apply for a permit to hold a demonstration or take to the streets to protest, Tun Faisal said the Unity Government should hold on to the same principles as when they were the opposition.