Friday, April 06, 2018

GST as applied in Singapore and other countries

Someone sent this article to me by e-mail. She did not quote the source. Most of the information are quite reliable.

Quote:

Spore cost of living is impacted by factors of COE/ ERP/ GST/ FW Levy plus the high rental of shopping Centres owned by our Govt. Buzz operating cost is high.....

The Singapore media only reported half of the truth when they compare GST with the VAT in the advanced countries.

The PAP’s propaganda – “Singapore’s 7% GST is the LOWEST in the world, look at Europe and the U.K., their VAT is 20%……Singapore’s 13% lower !!!”

Really? Do you even know the truth?

Yes, in the Western countries like U.K. the headline VAT (value-added-tax aka GST in Singapore) is 20%. But this is only for your luxury items – your LVs, APs and Rolexes.

VAT is exempt for basic essential foodstuff like your milk, eggs, sugar, flour, bread, rice, baby milk powder etc.

So suffice to say when you go grocery shopping in the UK, you don’t need to pay any VAT on your foodstuff!

Just check your last NTUC Fairprice grocery receipt; how much GST have you paid for your daily essential foodstuff?

Of course, if I decided to go for a nice brunch at one of Gordon Ramsay’s restaurant, I would need to pay the VAT for my poached eggs.

So whilst many have the perception that UK and Europe are high-taxation and expensive places to live in; people there do have a choice – to buy GST-free groceries or eat at a restaurant.

Do Singaporeans have the option of not paying GST for their foodstuff???

Singapore today have REGRESSED after 13 years under LHL’s vision and leadership or the lack thereof, if you have be observing carefully and doing meaningful global cross-borders comparison!

A lot of Singaporeans who have not lived overseas for a meaningful period as a local can never understand the real issues that Singapore is facing today.

Especially those with lesser critical thinking and constantly fed by half-truths unknowingly, of which the VAT is a very good example.

In Singapore the 7% GST is applied across everything.

In the western countries like Australia, UK etc. a LOT of things are GST/VAT-exempt.

These include, if you do not already know – all education, insurance, medical and social services.

So you do not need to pay any GST on the story books you buy from Popular or Kinokuniya.

No GST on all your educational courses, tuition classes or university fees.

No GST on medicines and when you are sick and have to visit the doctors or have an ops procedure.

When you buy insurance for yourself, your family or even your car, there’s no need to pay any GST too.

This goes for all medical and social welfare services from birth to burial – NO GST/VAT.

In Singapore, you have to pay a goods and services tax on even your own coffin and funeral service!





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