THE government’s expansion of the Sales and Service Tax (SST) to more goods and services on July 1 may be part of a targeted fiscal strategy, but for many Malaysians online, the new month came with heavier bills and even heavier sighs.
Across social media, netizens responded with a blend of sarcasm, satire and weary humour.
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One user called kapewithkate wrote on Threads: “Welcome to July — SST is now 5–8%. Electricity tariffs have increased (your bills are really going to bling now).”
Others joined in with mock suggestions.
Annysaoi posted: “Honestly, July 1st should’ve been declared a public holiday in honour of “National Tax Day” — like bro, we pay taxes every day. Imagine future generations asking, ‘Hey, why’s today a holiday?’
“And we reply, ‘Oh, it’s to commemorate the day the tax system changed forever.’ Iconic.”
Echoing the frustrations of many Malaysians, user @nssyahiramzln voiced a pointed concern: “The people aren’t angry about paying taxes. We’re angry because we’re already paying so much — thousands are deducted monthly from our salaries through PCB (monthly tax deductions) — but we don’t see any real results.
“Schools are still underfunded, government hospitals are overcrowded with hours-long waits. We pay taxes, yet if we want “comfort” when we’re sick, we still have to fork out extra for insurance?
“Roads in the city are full of potholes. SST goes up, everything goes up — but our salaries stay the same. So tell me, where is the people’s money really going?” the user lamented.
The SST expansion introduced a 5% to 10% tax on non-essential goods and widened its scope to include services such as private healthcare, financial services and leasing.
However, the government has since made adjustments after public pushback. Imported apples and oranges, as well as beauty services like haircuts and facials, were exempted.
The Prime Minister reiterated that adjustments in electricity tariffs and the expanded Sales and Service Tax (SST) scope aim to ensure wealthier individuals contribute fairly while shielding vulnerable groups from financial strain.
“Criticism is welcome, but it must be factual and constructive,“ he stated.
