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Ismail Sabri questions luxury goods tax

Mar 08, 2023

Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob is the latest to call on the government to reconsider its decision under Budget 2023, to introduce a luxury goods tax.

The former Prime Minister says such a tax could potentially discourage foreign tourists who like shopping from visiting the country.

He also pointed out that foreigner’s shopping activities contributed 30 percent of the country’s total tourism receipts in 2019.

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There are calls for the government to help B40 households pay for flood insurance, to protect them against heavy losses during such disasters.

A director from the General Insurance Association of Malaysia told The Star, this can be a partnership between the public and private sector, on a not-for-profit basis.

He proposed that the government use a portion of the funds from flood financial relief, to pay for the insurance coverage.

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Meanwhile, the number of flood evacuees in Johor remains at around 40 thousand as at this morning.

There are currently also some 2,200 flood victims seeking shelter in Pahang, and around 600 evacuees in Melaka.

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The government is drafting measures to tackle the brain-drain that has seen a higher-than-average portion of the population migrate overseas.

The Human Resources Ministry says 5.5 percent of our population currently lives abroad, which is above the global average of 3.3 percent.

It adds that the majority of Malaysians who’ve migrated as at the end of last year, ended up in Singapore.