GST 'badly affecting ordinary M'sians'

Kuala Lumpur: About 90pc of the Malaysian workforce can't cope with the additional expenses incurred following the implementation of the goods and services tax (GST), according to a recent survey by career resources site Jobstreet.com.In a statement, Jobstreet said that 24pc of the respondents in its survey had already faced problems with their expenses even before the GST kicked in on April 1 this year.

The weight of the consumption tax also prompted significant changes in the daily work routines of the respondents, with more than half of them, 56pc, minimising going out for lunch with colleagues. About 47pc of them had started packing food from home.

"Some have also resorted to frugal activities, such as utilising their pantries, and carpooling to reduce their expenses," Jobstreet said.

Only 19pc of the respondents said that GST had not affected their work routine.

SPONSORED CONTENT

Sabah revenue hits RM6.97 billion: Hajiji says GRS State Government may see full term

Kota Kinabalu: The Sabah Government continued its momentum in managing the economy in line with the commitment and spirit of the Sabah Maju Jaya (SMJ) when it posted record high state revenue of RM6.973 billion last year.

The survey also found the that 76pc of the respondents had said that they needed at least a 10pc salary hike in order to cope with GST. About 63pc of the respondents had also wanted a petrol allowance to help mitigate added expenses.

"About 35pc of the respondents are considering changing jobs to better cope with GST, and 41pc of companies had received increasing demands in wages since GST," Jobstreet said.

However, only 19pc of the companies had offered salary increments.

"Seeing that salaries are a top priority for most people, Jobstreet.com has introduced a Salary Matching feature that matches candidates to the salaries that they want," Jobstreet's country manager Chook Yuh Yng said.

Stay up-to-date by following Daily Express’s Telegram channel.

Daily Express Malaysia

A total of 1,454 employees and 490 employers had participated in the survey, it said. GST came into affect on April 1, as a replacement to the sales and service tax (SST).

But the broader tax base had led to complaints of higher goods prices and higher cost of living, which was already a concern among Malaysians before the new tax system came into effect.

Try 1 month for RM 18.00

Try 1 month for RM 18.00

Try 1 month for RM 18.00