SIBU: The government has not reached a stage where it would need to reintroduce the goods and services tax , says Datuk Mohd Shahar AbdullahThe Deputy Finance Minister I said this was attributed to the strong recovery momentum of the national economy with a growth of 6.9% in the first half of this year and supported by increased domestic and foreign demand as well as the labour market recovery.
Shahar was answering a question from the floor on whether the government would reintroduce the GST during his ministry’s engagement session with the Associated Chinese Chambers of Commerce and Industry of Sarawak here Tuesday . Shahar said in order to ensure the momentum of national economic growth, the government's focus in the upcoming budget is on reform initiatives to improve people's well-being, especially through increasing income and social protection, business competitiveness and related value chains, as well as strengthening the country’s resilience against future shocks.