00:00The Prime Minister to deliver a speech and then to officialize the Agong Tahun Day meeting
00:07I have seen subsidies.
00:10This is important because
00:12there is no country in the world, as far as I know in Asia,
00:15there is no country that gives as much subsidies as in Malaysia.
00:24Tan Silo uses a big Mercedes,
00:27but there is oil subsidy.
00:33So if I take subsidies,
00:36we don't increase the cost, we just take subsidies.
00:38Subsidies for the poor.
00:40He doesn't complain.
00:41Not yet, he hasn't complained yet.
00:44So, the subsidy is diesel.
00:47But if the implementation has a little problem, we change it.
00:52I'm not saying it's perfect.
00:55Where we need to make the necessary adjustments, we will do.
01:00But the waste cannot continue.
01:03Look at the issue of chicken.
01:05How much is the general handout through subsidy every year?
01:09It's 1.2 billion ringgit.
01:12Have we withdrawn that?
01:14No, we have not seen an increase in the price of chicken.
01:19Because if we continue to give subsidies like this,
01:23it does not even benefit the poor.
01:26That is why I have an issue about GST.
01:29I agree.
01:30It is the most transparent, efficient system.
01:33All the big companies want GST.
01:39But, please remember, I said yes,
01:43but let the level of income, the threshold, rise first.
01:50Give some time.
01:52Push the economy forward.
01:54Because you implement GST now,
01:57means you get everybody to pay.
02:01I mean, this is my political philosophy, my conscience.
02:06Is it efficient? Yes.
02:08Is it transparent? Yes.
02:10Will the government get more revenue? Yes.
02:13But who are you taxing? Everyone.
02:16The rich? Yes.
02:17The poor? Yes. I can't.
02:21So what is my view?
02:23I said, look, give some time.
02:25Give a few years.
02:27Make sure that the threshold, the level of income, increases.
02:323,000, 4,000 ringgit minimum,
02:34then we can gradually adjust this policy.
02:39Countries that have implemented GST normally,
02:42including our neighbours,
02:44have got their level of income risen first.
02:48So that is the only issue that I have.
02:50I understand the issue.
02:52I have studied for decades.
02:54The first time that we talked about GST
02:58was when I was finance minister.
03:00And what was my statement?
03:01The most efficient, transparent system
03:04that would be advantageous to the government
03:08in terms of revenue collection.
03:11But what was my answer then, in the 1990s?
03:14Give some time.
03:17Push the economy forward.
03:19Stop this rot or corruption
03:21of people taking advantage through their political office.
03:26One party can get 200, 300 million direct cash into the party.
03:30Individuals can buy properties in London,
03:33in New York, in Australia.
03:36I mean, you are businessmen.
03:37Do whatever you like with your money.
03:39But if I'm a politician, I want to become prime minister.
03:42What? To serve the people.
03:44And suddenly I start stealing billions.
03:46I can't do that.
03:48But that's precisely the point.
03:49And therefore we have to make sure we act and stop this rot.
03:53I don't need to ask you.
03:55You all know the system.
03:58Yeah, yeah, yeah.
03:59You are part of it.
04:00I mean the sense that you have to survive.
04:06But I'm appealing to you.
04:09I want to stop this.
04:11I want to stop this.
04:14Now, if you can stop this,
04:16we can get back billions of ringgit of revenue.
04:19That's why I've said this publicly
04:22to the so-called Malay leaders.
04:25We have to take care of the Malays.
04:27We have to fight for the Malays.
04:29We are the Malay leaders who want to save the Malays.
04:32Oh, good.
04:33So I said,
04:34that's right, good, good.
04:35The Malay leaders have to help the Malays.
04:38But how rich are you?
04:402 billion.
04:41There's 5 billion.
04:42There's 8 billion.
04:44Are you really a Malay leader?
04:46Yeah.
04:47Okay.
04:48Give back half to the Malays.
04:51You have 8 billion.
04:52Give back 4 billion right away.
04:54Because you took the wrong tariff.
04:59That's why I,
05:01as you know,
05:03I don't see this as a racial issue.
05:07I see this as
05:09a common endeavor
05:11to help improve
05:14the governance in this country
05:17and save the people.
05:19If they're poor, they're poor.
05:21Malays, majority,
05:23Indians, Chinese,
05:25Sabahan Sarawakians.
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