GEORGETOWN: Former Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak has been slammed for criticising the Sales and Services Tax (SST) being imposed on a restaurant selling 'kuih pau' (steamed bun) in Tanjung Malim, Perak.
Finance Minister Lim Guan Eng said Najib's remarks were hypocritical and seen as an attempt to mask the state of the nation's economy.
He also advised Najib to stop trying to appear like a 'hero', apart from questioning if the former Finance Minister is only now beginning to realise he has to pay taxes after no longer being in Cabinet.
"When he imposed the GST (Goods and Services Tax) he did not complain, but when SST is reintroduced, suddenly the former finance minister is complaining, when the tax rate imposed on food outlets is the same.
"Not all food outlets have SST. Why didn't he complain when he was the finance minister, why only now?
"In fact, threshold for for food outlets required to charge the service tax is RM1.5 million annually, without taking into account revenue from the sale of other items," he said at a press conference, here, today.
Yesterday, Najib questioned if it was appropriate to impose SST on food outlets such as the 'kuih pau' shop in Tanjung Malim.
On his Facebook account, Najib also shared a receipt of his purchase at the outlet which displayed the amount of tax charged.