Latest news with #VoonShiakNi
Borneo Post
14 hours ago
- Business
- Borneo Post
Putrajaya asked to exempt imported fruits, food from expanded SST
The expanded SST will cover imported fruits and food including fish, apples, cereals, and dairy products. — Photo by Viktoria Slowikowska/Pexels KUCHING (June 20): Putrajaya has been asked to exclude daily essential imported fruits and food from the expanded Sales and Service Tax (SST) effective next month. In making the appeal, social activist Voon Shiak Ni said the SST rate had already increased to 8 per cent, from 6 per cent, on March 1 last year. She said the people are concerned about the implementation of the expanded SST as most essential goods will see a price hike. 'The expanded SST will cover imported fruits and food including fish as well as imported fruits like apples, cereals, and dairy products. 'Most of the goods affected are essential fruits and food for children and also the elderly, as they are essential food for their health,' she said in a statement today. Voon opined apples and cereals should not be considered luxury food items because they are essential for families, young and old alike. According to her, an apple costs more than RM3 now and the expanded SST, once implemented, will further increase the price, making apples unaffordable to most families. 'This is not something positive for the people,' she said. While Malaysians understand that the government needs to generate more revenue to reduce the budget deficit through the expanded SST, she said they hoped their well-being and welfare would be considered. This is especially so when the country's economy this year is projected to be affected by the global economic slowdown, she said. Voon appealed to the federal government to be more sensitive to the people's needs and not burden them with more taxes and further increasing the cost of living. 'Despite the argument that the implementation of expanded SST will not significantly affect the low- and middle-income groups, the reality is that the levying of any form of taxes, even targeted taxes, will affect everyone due to the domino effect in pricing,' she claimed. Set to take effect on July 1, the expanded SST will impose a 5 to 10 per cent sales tax on selected non-essential goods and broaden the service tax to include services such as rental or leasing, construction, finance, private healthcare, education, and beauty. expanded SST lead Voon Shiak Ni
Borneo Post
28-05-2025
- Borneo Post
Social activist calls on S'wak govt to intensify drug awareness, education
Voon Shiak Ni KUCHING (May 28): Social activist Voon Shiak Ni has urged the Sarawak government to take the lead in launching a dedicated annual two month-long drug awareness and education campaign to tackle the root of the growing drug problem in the state. She commended enforcement agencies and the Sarawak police for their firm stance and success in raid operations, citing recent large-scale raids in Miri that uncovered enough illicit substances to supply over 150,000 drug users, or nearly 5.8 per cent of Sarawak's population. However, she said despite high profile seizures and arrests, drug abuse were still rampant, citing a 30 per cent increase in drug addiction cases reported by the National Anti-Drug Agency (AADK) in 2024. 'These numbers are not just statistics — they represent broken families, lost futures and growing despair. As an activist on the ground, I have seen firsthand the devastating impact of drug abuse on marriages, children and the fabric of society,' she said in a statement. Voon welcomed the recent passing of the amendments to the Drug Dependants (Treatment and Rehabilitation) Act 2024, saying it marked an important policy shift from punishment to rehabilitation — a timely reform recognizing addiction as a health issue deserving of support and structured treatment. However, she emphasised policy reform must go beyond legislation. 'Our community and Sarawak must not abdicate their role. If Sarawak truly wants to break the drug cycle, we need to act decisively on the demand side of the equation, as drug dealing — as any other forms of business — thrives on a demand-driven supply chain,' she said. She said the campaign would target school children and youths across Sarawak, and can be implemented in collaboration with schools, the AADK, local councils, non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and community leaders. 'Education must be continuous, not a one-off event and should focus on real-life risks, the emotional toll on families, and the tactics used by traffickers to lure the young and vulnerable,' she said. Touching on public concerns regarding the amended law, Voon noted that while it allowed for non-custodial rehabilitation arrangements, it should not be seen as a 'free ride' for drug users. 'Compassion must be matched with responsibility. I call on the state government and stakeholders to ensure that rehabilitation is not a free pass, but a structured pathway where drug dependents contribute through community service, skill-building, and counselling. 'Only then can we repair not just individuals, but the families and communities broken by addiction,' she said. She pointed out that drug abuse destroys families, often leading to violence, neglect, divorce, and trauma in children, and also poses a wider threat to public safety. 'Rehabilitation must help individuals heal, but it must also rebuild their sense of accountability to society and to the families they've affected,' she added. She stressed that the amended Act also raised legitimate concerns about whether it could weaken efforts to deter initial drug use. 'Prevention is always better than a cure. I humbly urge the Sarawak government to take the lead to battle against the drugs by taking effective measures to deter and reduce the numbers of drug users to cripple the demand-driven supply chain,' she said. crime drug problems education lead Voon Shiak Ni
Borneo Post
07-05-2025
- Business
- Borneo Post
Activist urges clarity on eligibility for RM1,200 annual BKK for Sarawakian students
Voon also appeals to the state government to ensure that future financial assistance schemes are inclusive of the M40 group, which she said was frequently overlooked in aid distribution. KUCHING (May 8): The Sarawak government should clarify whether household income will affect the eligibility for the state's Special Financial Assistance (BKK), said social activist Voon Shiak Ni. She commended the initiative as a 'people-friendly' measure aimed at supporting all Sarawakian students, whether they are studying at public or private institutions, where under BKK, eligible students can receive RM1,200 annually until the completion of their degree. 'However, some parents have raised concerns after noticing a section in the application form requiring a declaration of household income, and this has led to uncertainty over whether or not income levels may influence the approval of applications. 'We would like to seek clarification if all university students with Sarawakian status are eligible for this financial benefit under the scheme, regardless of the household income of the parents,' she said in a statement. Voon also noted that Deputy Minister of Education, Innovation and Talent Development Datuk Dr Annuar Rapaee previously stated the BKK scheme is expected to benefit around 60,000 Sarawakian students and to qualify, applicants must also have an active S Pay Global account. She also appealed to the state government to ensure that future financial assistance schemes are inclusive of the middle-income group (M40), which she said was frequently overlooked in aid distribution. 'The M40 group also faces increasing financial pressure amid rising cost of living, and is not spared from the hardships of tightening their purse strings. They too deserve to be considered in welfare programmes,' she said. She also expressed her gratitude for the government's efforts in improving the people's standard of living, and reiterated her hopes that the BKK scheme would be implemented fairly and inclusively. BKK education aid lead Voon Shiak Ni
