There is no acceptable excuse for negligence in duty and lack of sense of urgency in national defence

Gerakan demands explain from authorities over recurrence of tourist kidnapping in Sabah

Cheah Soon Hai: There is no acceptable excuse for negligence in duty and lack of sense of urgency in national defence

Press statement by

Gerakan Deputy President

Dato’ Dr Cheah Soon Hai

4 April 2014

Gerakan Deputy President Dato’ Cheah Soon Hai shared his concern with the people over the latest tourist kidnapping incident in Sabah involving a Chinese national and a Filipino hotel employee. He was appalled and upset over the recurrence of tourist kidnapping incident while the nation is still in deep anxiety and sadness mourning the loss of MH370.

Cheah opined that the recurrence of similar kidnapping incidents warrants serious attention from the government over the actual effectiveness of Eastern Sabah Security Command (EssCom) and the front line defence of the nation as a whole. He questioned whether the latest tourist kidnapping incident was a result of negligence of duty or structural deficiency by the security forces.

“The apparent easy intrusion by foreign armed men is worrisome, we rightly expect our security forces to repel any possible foreign threat with necessary military vigilance, combat readiness and competence. The authorities should explain over the recurrence of security breach despite millions ringgit were spent to beef up security along the Sabah east coast. Accountability and professionalism among soldiers is paramount and there is no acceptable excuse for negligence in duty and lack of sense of urgency in national defence,” said Cheah.

He strongly believed that it is high time that the government review the border defence at all fronts as the recurrence of similar security breaching incidents warrants immediate response from government and armed forces to address the security deficiencies and loopholes across the nation’s front lines. He called on the government and armed forces to be mindful of the 2013 Lahad Datu standoff and a similar tourist kidnapping incident at nearby Pom-Pom Island just four months ago and make real security improvements.

关注对消费税初犯者施以重罚法案

民政党关注对消费税初犯者施以重罚法案

谢顺海：教育是对犯错者最好的震慑

民政党署理主席

拿督谢顺海医生

文告

2014年4月1日

民政党署理主席拿督谢顺海医生欢迎财政副部长阿末玛斯兰昨日在国会提呈的消费税法案一读。然而，他对于在2014年消费税法案下，逃税者将面临重罚一事表示关注。他认为相较于在初期就引进严厉的惩罚，教育民众有关消费税的实行更为重要。

谢顺海医生指出，消费税制度在160个国家实行，其可行性和公平都被大众接受，这是很好的证明。他对于民众依然缺乏了解将在明年4月1日正式实行的6%消费税一事表示关注，并认为民众普遍对消费税的不了解是导致所提呈的税务制度不被接受的主因。

谢顺海医生认为，消费税逃税和教唆逃税初犯者，将罚款涉及款额的10倍至20倍，或最高监禁5年，或两者兼施，这在该税务制度实行的初期是过于苛刻的。此外，我们须考量民众对于消费税普遍缺乏认知，当局应通过对外课程，有耐心地教育民众，而不是实行强制性的惩罚。

“虽然我接受对重犯者施以更严厉的惩罚，然而我认为在初期阶段，对于初犯者应减轻惩罚。由于民众对消费税缺乏了解和抗拒，在还未施以重罚前，初犯者应给予警告信和象征性罚款。我坚信教育对犯错者是最好的震慑，而不是施以严厉惩罚。”谢顺海医生说。

谢顺海医生强调，民众间对于消费税的缺乏了解和不接受度，是实行新税务制度的一大缺陷。惩罚性法律并不能让民众接受消费税。因此，他呼吁政府检讨2014年消费税法案和减轻对初犯者的惩罚。他补充，当局必须继续通过消费税对外课程以教育民众，说服人民有关其可行性和公平。

Concerns on proposed heavy penalty for first-time GST offenders

Gerakan concerns on proposed heavy penalty for first-time GST offenders

Cheah Soon Hai: Education is the best deterrent to GST offences instead of introducing tougher penalties

Press statement by

Gerakan Deputy President

Dato’ Dr. Cheah Soon Hai

1 April 2014

Gerakan Deputy President Dato’ Dr Cheah Soon Hai welcomed the tabling of Goods and Services Tax (GST) by Deputy Finance Minister Datuk Ahmad Maslan for first reading in Parliament yesterday. However, he was concerned over the proposed heavy penalty for Goods and Services Tax (GST) offenders under the newly tabled GST Bill 2014 as he held that educating the public on the proposed implementation of GST is more important than introducing tougher penalties at the early stage of its introduction to the public.

Cheah pointed out that GST tax system is present in 160 countries with its viability and fairness being accepted and well proven. However, he raised concern that the public still have a poor understanding over the proposed implementation of 6% GST scheduled to be implemented on April 1 next year. He believed the poor understanding of GST is the main reason that contributed negatively to the low public approval over the proposed tax system.

Hence, Cheah believed the proposed heavy penalty for GST evasion and abetment with a fine of between 10 and 20 times the amount of tax involved and subjected to a maximum jail sentence of five years or face both the fine and imprisonment is simply too harsh to be introduced at this early stage. Moreover, by taking into the consideration the prevailing lack of knowledge among the public towards the proposed implementation of GST, it obliges the authorities to further educate the public through outreach programs and patient engagements instead of imposing coercive and mandatory penalties for punitive means.

“Although I accept that more severe penalty should be meted out to deliberate repeat offenders, nonetheless I suggest that a mild or lightened penalty be introduced to first-time offenders at this early stage of its introduction. Warning letter and symbolic fine should be handed out to first-time offenders before severe penalty is given in view of the poor understanding and negative acceptance towards the proposed GST. After all, I strongly believe that education is the best deterrent to GST offences instead of introducing tougher penalties,” said Cheah.

Cheah stressed that poor understanding among the public and low level of public approval towards the proposed implementation of GST is still the main drawback of the new tax system on which the introduction of punitive laws do not help in winning the people’s approval. Hence, he called upon the government to review the GST Bill 2014 and lighten the penalty for first-time offenders. He added that the authorities must also continue educate the public through GST outreach programs to convince the people on its viability and fairness.