Malaysia’s national debt will increase to almost RM1 trillion if tolls and GST are abolished, Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak said.
His remark came as a reply to Pakatan Harapan `s manifesto that promises to drop Tolls and GST if it wins the coming 14th general election.
“Our debt will mount to RM416 billion. Adding that to our existing debts, it will become RM1 trillion, ” he said.
Najib also warns that the public will have to pay for more debts in future (if the opposition captures Putrajaya).
“These are the debts that we will inherit , and you guys are the ones who will be paying it back after this,” he added.
Najib said this to students during a Budget 2018 engagement session at Universiti Malaysia Perlis (Unimap) on Tuesday.
Recently Finance Ministry secretary-general Irwan Serigar Abdullah stated that Malaysia would lose RM416.6 billion in revenue if the GST and tolls were abolished.
“The opposition says we (BN) are increasing the country’s debts, then their manifesto is even more alarming,” said Najib.
Unlike the opposition, Najib said, his administration would not make empty promises and would always strive to deliver what they promise.
”We cannot lie to the people. We will say that only if we can do it. If we cannot, then we say we cannot,” he said
Najib also blames the former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad for creating those many tolls that PH now want to get rid.
“I am not in favour of tolls, but there is an old man (Dr Mahathir Mohamad) who built them.
“Under Budget 2018, I abolished four tolls. But, we cannot do it all at once. We cannot afford it,” he said.
-Malaysia World News
