Penang CM: Many traditional businesses likely to close after GST comes into force

BUKIT MERTAJAM: Many traditional businesses are likely to cease operations after the implementation of the Goods and Services Tax (GST), Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng said today.
Lim, who is also Bagan MP, said GST posed detrimental effects to the people, and urged the federal government to postpone the implementation of the tax to a more appropriate time.
He was speaking to the media after visiting a 41-year-old traditional Chinese medical hall, Ban Swee Choon, at Jalan Danby here which has been forced to close due to their inability to adapt to the implementation of the new tax.
"As a state government, (there is) nothing much we can do against the implementation of GST, but the people can use their vote to express their views on GST," he said.
Earlier, The owner of Ban Swee Choon, Yew Chian Hooi, 75, said he had decided to shut down his decades old business on April 1, when GST comes into force.
Yew said not being familiar with technology, he found it hard to install the GST tracking system for his shop.
"Besides not being computer savvy, I am confused over which Chinese herbs should be imposed GST and which should be waived.
"I believe I'm not the only one feeling confused. Even the Finance Ministry can't answer, because there are hundreds of Chinese herbs in the country," he said.