DAP has rejected the idea of a fuel tax which Deputy Finance Minister Ahmad Maslan said could be imposed on fuel purchase if global crude oil prices fall below the current pump price.

“It is very unfair to burden the people for the government’s unrealistic estimation of the global crude oil prices and blatant wastage in the budget, while it is the government’s responsibility to make better use of our revenue from natural resources,” said Wong Shu Qi, Senai State Assemblywoman today.

Ahmad Maslan had said that the purpose of tax was to collect revenue for the government, while the nation recorded its highest ever budget for next year at RM 273.9 billion. He had also said that President Joko Widodo had intended to restructure Indonesia’s fuel and oil subsidies – something he hopes would lead Malaysia to follow suit.

However, Wong said that a big portion of the budget is allocated for the Prime Minister’s Department as slush funds, under the guise of Projek Kecil (RM 0.3 billion), Projek Khas (RM 1.61 billion), Projek Mesra Rakyat (RM 0.67 billion) and Dana Fasilitasi (RM 2.5 billion).

Asking that the slush funds be slashed, Wong said that these funds would turn out to be wastage, adding that the RM 5.08 billion under the aforementioned projects had no specific purpose stated in the budget.

“It is a crystal clear fact that government should cut the expenses or make better use of it instead of imposing new tax on people for their unwisely spending,” she said.

As of today, the Brent crude oil price had declined to USD 82.72 per barrel, this is contrary to the Budget 2015 projection of USD 105 per barrel. Wong says this is so that the government would have enough revenue to support its vote buying budget.

If the price of global crude oil were to plunge to RM 1.72 per litre, Ahmad Maslan said that the government could choose to impose a sales tax of 58 sen. The current price per litre of RON 95 petrol is RM 2.30 after being subsidized from its market price of RM 2.58 per litre. -The Rocket