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The Sun
4 days ago
- Business
- The Sun
Government to consider public feedback in SST review
IPOH: The government will continue to consider feedback from various stakeholders in its review of the Sales and Service Tax (SST) rates and the expansion of its scope, according to political secretary to the Finance Minister Muhammad Kamil Abdul Munim. He assured the public that the expanded scope of the tax would not apply to all goods, but only to specific segments previously announced by the government. 'Not all goods are subject to the expanded SST. For example, local products that are not manufactured or do not undergo industrial processing will remain zero-rated under the SST,' he explained. 'We acknowledge there will be concerns and complaints, but in implementing any policy, if there are elements that warrant reconsideration, I don't believe the government would hesitate to review them,' he added. He made these remarks during a Ziarah MADANI visit to the home of Sergeant Mazlan Mat, 50, a member of the Federal Reserve Unit (FRU) who was involved in a fatal accident in Teluk Intan on May 13 here today. On June 9, Second Finance Minister Datuk Seri Amir Hamzah Azizan announced that the government will carry out a targeted review of the Sales Tax rate and expand the scope of the Service Tax, effective July 1, in line with the 2025 Budget announcement made last October. According to a Finance Ministry statement, the measure aims to strengthen the country's fiscal position by increasing revenue and broadening the tax base, without placing an undue burden on the general public. Muhammad Kamil noted that public concern over tax policy changes is not uncommon, citing similar reactions during the recent rollout of targeted diesel subsidy rationalisation. 'At first, many questioned the diesel subsidy policy, but eventually recognised the benefits it delivered,' he said. Meanwhile, addressing the vacancy in the Economy Minister post following Datuk Seri Rafizi Ramli's resignation, Muhammad Kamil said the decision rests solely with Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim discretion. 'We leave it to the Prime Minister's judgment and wisdom to decide who is best suited to shoulder the responsibility at this time,' he said.
The Star
4 days ago
- Business
- The Star
Govt to consider public feedback in SST review, says Finance Minister's polsec
IPOH: The government will continue to consider feedback from various stakeholders in its review of the Sales and Service Tax (SST) rates and the expansion of its scope, says Muhammad Kamil Abdul Munim. The political secretary to the Finance Minister assured the public that the expanded scope of the tax would not apply to all goods, but only to specific segments previously announced by the government. ALSO READ: Business groups urge government to defer and reduce SST hike "Not all goods are subject to the expanded SST. For example, local products that are not manufactured or do not undergo industrial processing will remain zero-rated under the SST," he explained on Tuesday (June 17). "We acknowledge there will be concerns and complaints, but in implementing any policy, if there are elements that warrant reconsideration, I don't believe the government would hesitate to review them," he added. ALSO READ: Hairdressers in the dark over expanded SST rules He made these remarks during a Ziarah Madani visit to the home of Sergeant Mazlan Mat, 50, a member of the Federal Reserve Unit (FRU) who was involved in a fatal accident in Teluk Intan on May 13 here. On June 9, Second Finance Minister Datuk Seri Amir Hamzah Azizan announced that the government will carry out a targeted review of the Sales Tax rate and expand the scope of the Service Tax, effective July 1, in line with the Budget 2025 announcement made last October. ALSO READ: Tax reforms a necessity, despite govt facing 'dilemma', says Anwar According to a Finance Ministry statement, the measure aims to strengthen the country's fiscal position by increasing revenue and broadening the tax base, without placing an undue burden on the general public. Muhammad Kamil noted that public concern over tax policy changes is not uncommon, citing similar reactions during the recent rollout of targeted diesel subsidy rationalisation. "At first, many questioned the diesel subsidy policy, but eventually recognised the benefits it delivered," he said. Meanwhile, addressing the vacancy in the Economy Minister post following Datuk Seri Rafizi Ramli's resignation, Muhammad Kamil said the decision rests solely with Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim discretion. "We leave it to the Prime Minister's judgment and wisdom to decide who is best suited to shoulder the responsibility at this time," he said. - Bernama
The Sun
5 days ago
- The Sun
Highway carnage and the broken pledge to make it safer
PUTRAJAYA: The recent bus crash in Gerik that claimed the lives of 15 Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris (UPSI) students has left the nation grieving, yet again raising pressing questions about transport safety that demand swift and decisive action. As someone with a younger brother studying away from home, I now feel a twinge of fear each time he boards the campus shuttle in Bestari Jaya, Selangor. Although it is just a short trip to the nearest train station where I wait to pick him up, the uncertainty still lingers. This latest tragedy cuts deep, especially for parents across Malaysia who now worry if their children will return safely from campus breaks. The recent crash occurred around 1.10 am on June 9 along KM53 of the East-West Highway near Tasik Banding, where a chartered bus carrying 42 UPSI students reportedly collided with a Perodua Alza before skidding off the road, hitting a barrier, and overturning. Thirteen students died at the scene while two others passed away in hospital. Thirty-three more individuals, including those in the MPV, were injured. What makes this incident even more alarming is that it occurred barely a month after another fatal crash in Teluk Intan, involving a Federal Reserve Unit (FRU) truck, which killed nine policemen and injured several others. Two deadly crashes involving large vehicles within weeks of each other do not feel like mere coincidences. Instead, they point to a system in urgent need of overhaul. While both tragedies struck a deep emotional chord, the one that involved the students evoked my personal experience of a harrowing overnight bus ride from Manali to New Delhi, India. Although it took place almost a decade ago, I vividly remember it to date as the fear was so intense I messaged my family with final words. The dread of that night came rushing back upon hearing about the Gerik crash, especially after watching the dashcam footage, which showed the bus speeding and overtaking dangerously while descending a hilly and winding stretch of road. The East-West Highway has always had a reputation for being challenging, said one of my colleagues, Sharifah Hunaini Syed Ismail, 49, who sometimes uses the same route when she drives back to her hometown in Pasir Mas, Kelantan. But as a student of Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM), in Penang, slightly over two decades ago, the only mode of transportation was bus, she said, adding that she often carried note on her personal information, messages to her mother (father had since passed on) and siblings in case she doesn't make it safe to either destination. Sharifah Hunaini said the bus drivers were often ruthless and rides were a gamble between life and death. Apparently, things have not changed much or changed at all since then. The bus driver of the Gerik carnage is a 39-year-old man, who had 18 prior traffic summonses, mostly for speeding. The bus operator reportedly had also sublet its permit to another party and failed to activate its GPS tracking system during the journey. These are serious breaches of basic safety regulations. While the operator's licence has now been revoked, the case exposes glaring oversight failures and raises serious questions of how many others are getting away with similar violations. To date, a special investigation task force comprising MIROS, JPJ and APAD has been set up to examine the causes behind the crash. But, it shouldn't be another one-off investigation and once the dust settles, business as usual resumes. This time must be different. Several news reports citing the Global Burden of Disease 2024 Report stated that Malaysia had the second-highest road fatality rate among ASEAN nations in 2021. The country recorded 23.7 road deaths per 100,000 people, trailing Thailand, which topped the list at 29.7. Vietnam ranked third with a rate of 21.7. One person dies every two hours in road accidents in Malaysia, said the reports. This calls for stricter enforcement as well as vehicle maintenance, proper driver vetting and safe road planning re-evaluated with urgency. There are also other broader ideas worth considering. The Tourism Ministry's offer to reclaim oversight of tourism-related transport could make a difference, especially if it works closely with the Transport Ministry as it has unique needs and risks and a dedicated oversight body could offer more focused regulation. However, such a move must be executed with clear roles and coordination to avoid overlap or confusion. Public institutions should also have access to a centralised verification system. This would allow them to check whether a bus operator's permit is valid, whether the vehicle is roadworthy, and if the driver has a clean record. This transparency would place market pressure on companies to comply with safety standards. It is also time to make real-time GPS and speed monitoring mandatory for all chartered buses. Such technology already exists and is used by some operators, Assoc Prof Dr Law Teik Hua from Universiti Putra Malaysia's Road Safety Research Centre shared, adding that the challenge now lies more in cost and cooperation than feasibility. He believed that with government incentives and a phased rollout plan, this system can be widely adopted within a few years. Another potential safety measure would be to restrict bus travel during high-risk hours, especially on dangerous roads like the East-West Highway. This could be based on accident data, limiting travel during specific times while ensuring proper alternatives such as enforced rest breaks or daytime scheduling are in place. 'Three major reforms should be prioritised. First, all buses should be equipped with GPS and speed monitoring, overseen by a central authority. 'Second, permit allocation and enforcement must be streamlined through a transparent digital platform and third, drivers must undergo better training and follow strict protocols to manage fatigue. These steps would address weaknesses in both technology and human oversight,' Law said.
The Sun
13-06-2025
- The Sun
FRU crash: Lorry company owner to face court action
SHAH ALAM: The owner of the lorry company linked to the fatal crash involving a Federal Reserve Unit (FRU) vehicle on Jalan Chikus-Sungai Lampam in Teluk Intan last month, will be taken to court. Transport Minister Anthony Loke said that the Road Transport Department (JPJ) will take action against the company. 'Firstly, the operator's licence has been revoked. Secondly, legal action will be taken against the company owner in court through JPJ,' he told reporters at a press conference after officiating the Speed Limitation Device (SLD) for commercial vehicles' implementation, at Scania (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd. Loke added that the families of the victims could also pursue civil action against the company, to seek damages and compensation. The tragic accident occurred at 8.54 am on May 13, when a Federal Reserve Unit (FRU) lorry collided with a tipper lorry, which had allegedly veered into the opposite lane. The crash claimed the lives of nine FRU members, and left nine others injured. In another development, Loke said the decision to return the authority to regulate tourism transport, particularly involving tour buses, to the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture (MOTAC) is subject to Cabinet approval and he has no objection to the move, noting that the matter has been raised over the past two years. 'MOTAC had previously prepared a Cabinet Memorandum (MJM) and submitted it to the Ministry of Transport (MOT) even before the recent incident involving Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris (UPSI) students,' Loke said. 'I want to stress that this issue is not a response to the tragedy. I've told the Tourism, Arts and Culture Minister Datuk Seri Tiong King Sing that I have no objection to returning the regulatory authority, provided that the safety of sightseeing buses can be guaranteed. I'm more than happy to hand it back, but ultimately, the decision lies with the Cabinet,' he added. Last Wednesday, MOTAC, in a statement, called for the return of tourism transport regulatory authority to the ministry, following the fatal bus crash in Gerik, Perak, on Monday, which claimed the lives of 15 UPSI students. MOTAC described the tragedy not only as a devastating incident, but also exposed deep issues within in the current tourism transport safety system. Meanwhile, Loke said that the bus operators' association should inform the ministry and enforcement authorities, if they have any evidence or information regarding the alleged long-standing practice of leasing bus permits. He added that, if the association had cooperated by providing such information earlier, the government could have taken appropriate measures to address the issue, and possibly prevent the recent fatal accident. 'Everyone is talking about permit leasing, but where is the evidence? The association should have assisted the MOT... they should have blacklisted or publicly exposed the company's actions, to help clean up the industry,' he said. In the early Monday morning incident, 15 Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris (UPSI) students were killed, when the bus they were travelling in overturned at KM53, East-West Highway (JRTB), near Tasik Banding, Gerik.
The Sun
13-06-2025
- The Sun
FRU fatal crash: Lorry company owner to face court action
SHAH ALAM: The owner of the lorry company linked to the fatal crash involving a Federal Reserve Unit (FRU) vehicle on Jalan Chikus-Sungai Lampam in Teluk Intan last month, will be taken to court. Transport Minister Anthony Loke said that the Road Transport Department (JPJ) will take action against the company. 'Firstly, the operator's licence has been revoked. Secondly, legal action will be taken against the company owner in court through JPJ,' he told reporters at a press conference after officiating the Speed Limitation Device (SLD) for commercial vehicles' implementation, at Scania (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd. Loke added that the families of the victims could also pursue civil action against the company, to seek damages and compensation. The tragic accident occurred at 8.54 am on May 13, when a Federal Reserve Unit (FRU) lorry collided with a tipper lorry, which had allegedly veered into the opposite lane. The crash claimed the lives of nine FRU members, and left nine others injured. In another development, Loke said the decision to return the authority to regulate tourism transport, particularly involving tour buses, to the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture (MOTAC) is subject to Cabinet approval and he has no objection to the move, noting that the matter has been raised over the past two years. 'MOTAC had previously prepared a Cabinet Memorandum (MJM) and submitted it to the Ministry of Transport (MOT) even before the recent incident involving Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris (UPSI) students,' Loke said. 'I want to stress that this issue is not a response to the tragedy. I've told the Tourism, Arts and Culture Minister Datuk Seri Tiong King Sing that I have no objection to returning the regulatory authority, provided that the safety of sightseeing buses can be guaranteed. I'm more than happy to hand it back, but ultimately, the decision lies with the Cabinet,' he added. Last Wednesday, MOTAC, in a statement, called for the return of tourism transport regulatory authority to the ministry, following the fatal bus crash in Gerik, Perak, on Monday, which claimed the lives of 15 UPSI students. MOTAC described the tragedy not only as a devastating incident, but also exposed deep issues within in the current tourism transport safety system. Meanwhile, Loke said that the bus operators' association should inform the ministry and enforcement authorities, if they have any evidence or information regarding the alleged long-standing practice of leasing bus permits. He added that, if the association had cooperated by providing such information earlier, the government could have taken appropriate measures to address the issue, and possibly prevent the recent fatal accident. 'Everyone is talking about permit leasing, but where is the evidence? The association should have assisted the MOT... they should have blacklisted or publicly exposed the company's actions, to help clean up the industry,' he said. In the early Monday morning incident, 15 Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris (UPSI) students were killed, when the bus they were travelling in overturned at KM53, East-West Highway (JRTB), near Tasik Banding, Gerik.
