BN slows down preparation for the Permatang Pauh by-election

JOHOR BARU: The Barisan Nasional's preparation for the Permatang Pauh by-election has slowed down following the family of Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim having submitted a petition for a royal pardon to the Yang Di-Pertuan Agong over the sodomy conviction of the opposition leader.
With the petition submitted, Umno Information chief Datuk Ahmad Maslan said they have to change their preparation from Plan A to Plan B that is from being aggressive to slow.
Talking to reporters after delivering a talk on Goods and Services Tax (GST) for the police personnel at Johor Police headquarters here today, he said, they now have to await the outcome of the petition.
"The family has every right to seek a royal pardon . Now we wait for the outcome," he said, adding that although they have slowed their pace for the by-election, they are still in the preparedness mode.
Ahmad also pointed out that when one seeks for royal pardon it also meant that the person has admitted to his offence.
Earlier, the deputy finance minister said, with the implementation of the GST in April, it would reduce the percentage of shadow economy, or the underground economy as some will call it, from 30% of the country's gross domestic product to 10%.
He said the World Bank has estimated Malaysia's shadow economy to be about 30% of the country's GDP.
He added that this meant that some businesses never paid their taxes in the past and now with the GST they will have to do so.
"The 6% GST is not high. it will not burden the low income group because most of the essential goods or services are tax exempted," he said.
He also said that the number of companies having registered for GST now stands at 319,435 with expected revenue collection being RM24 billion.
He said, GST is based on progressive philosophy, "you use more, you pay more."