My call is to the Finance Minister. If you wish to hear my views about GST or even to engage in a public debate on this matter, I will be willing to participate in it. I strongly believe that GST has been bad for Singapore and has been one major factor in escalating the cost of living and the cost of doing business. The harm to Singapore far outweighs the benefits. I am not asking for GST to be reduced, but to be abolished entirely.
I have written on this matter on several occasions in my blog. See here:
http://tankinlian.blogspot.sg/search?q=GST
If your Ministry officials wish to present facts to make me change my mind or to hear the statements from me, feel free to contact me.
I have written on this matter on several occasions in my blog. See here:
http://tankinlian.blogspot.sg/search?q=GST
If your Ministry officials wish to present facts to make me change my mind or to hear the statements from me, feel free to contact me.
3 comments:
A person called "Adrian" challenged me to go to Hong Lim Park and argue my case against GST. He called me a coward with no guts to take up the challenge.
"Adrian" has been insulting and making personal attacks, in an anonymous way, for more than a year. I must have received more than 100 of his insults. They were deleted, but he continued to carry on this "intentional harrassment".
I have decided to make this posting as a call to the Finance Minister, rather than respond to a person with a "sick mind".
OK,Mr Tan.
You have offered your readiness to have an open debate on this GST matter, which is good.
That Adrian chap, can perhaps persuade the Finance Minister or his staff to give it a go.
If the Minister ignore your willingness to meet, then Mr Adrian should henceforth keep his views and "harassment" to himself!
By luring the rich to Singapore with a low income tax rate, the government has to fill the gap with GST to claw something back when they spend.
Unfortunately for the low wage locals, GST sucks up 7% of their earnings as they spend practically all of it, leaving nothing for a rainy day. A typical worker earning $1000 pm stands to lose up to $840 which is a heavy burden not felt at the cash counter on a daily basis, but adds up to this big amount annually. While low wages are ostensibly exempt from income tax, in reality the GST squeezes revenue from the poor. Even a bowl of white rice at a food centre has a GST component, just that it is not expressed in black and white.
Rich people have many ways to minimise their tax exposure, but poor folks cannot escape the GST. And talk of more taxes will impact the poor more than the rich.
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