Too early to say if GST has gone against Islamic teachings - Fatwa committee chairman

PUTRAJAYA: A one year grace period should be given by the government to ascertain if the implementation of Goods and Services Tax (GST) has complied with the teachings of Islam.
National Fatwa Committee chairman Prof Emeritus Tan Sri Dr Abd Shukor Husin said with less than a month since its implementation, it is too early to see if GST has actually caused extra burden to the rakyat to the point of going against the Islamic teachings.
"We cannot be too fast in passing judgement. Evaluating the tax is a big task and GST itself was only implemented less than a month ago," he said, adding that they needed to be given at least a year to see its outcome, benefits and harm so that proper evaluation can be done.
Speaking to reporters after attending the National Fatwa Council Muzakarah (meeting) at Malaysian Islamic Development Department here today, he said according to Islam, it is "harus" (neither discouraged nor encouraged) for the government to impose GST to the public, as long as it complied with the six requirements set by the committee.
Among the requirements are that the government is in need of financial income, tax are collected justly and the tax money are not spent on the path of sin.
He said the decision to come out with the hukum (law) was made after consulting views from different groups such as the ulamas (Islamic scholars) as well as academicians.
"We deny talks of saying that the hukum was passed without thorough consultation and discussion," he said.
Abd Shukor said although the committee has the power to pass hukum, it however does not have the authority to enforce it.
"We could only provide our view on the issue, but it would be best if the government could take heed of our views," he said.
He said that the committee would be monitoring the tax's implementation from time to time.
Meanwhile, on the comment made by Federal Territories mufti Datuk Zulkifli Mohamad that muslims should be exempted from paying GST, Abd Shukor said: "It was merely his personal opinion."
"I have my own personal view on GST but I believe we should give time (for the government to implement GST)," he said.
Malaysian Islamic Development Department (Jakim) director-general Datuk Othman Mustapha said the entertainment guidelines released by the department is not a law that must be followed by the entertainment industry in Malaysia.
He said Jakim did not have the authority to enforce it as a law, instead the guidelines should be seen as an advice to educate the industry.
"It is only a guideline. It is up to them (entertainment industry) to follow or not. This is only an advice from our part," he said.
"The entertainment industry is not bounded by the guidelines," he said in the press conference.
He said Jakim had conducted discussion with non-governmental organisations and stakeholders in the industry before coming out with the guidelines.