Should we continue paying taxes?


— Lucius Goon
The Malaysian Insider
Jun 30, 2012

JUNE 30 — My wife and I pay our taxes on time and we are assessed at the highest tax bracket. We never avoided or evaded taxes and viewed it as a moral duty.

But let me put in a caveat. I believe the time has come for us taxpayers (and this excludes 90 per cent of civil servants, Umno politicians and their nominees as well as rent-seekers) to consider a campaign of civil disobedience against paying taxes until the government of the day can show that it can utilise this revenue in a responsible way.

I am not talking about the world record holidays/trips abroad taken by the prime minister and the first family or his cabinet ministers. I am referring to the over-the-top spending by the Barisan Nasional government to stay in power.

It seems like every day is Christmas for this prime minister. Tyres for taxi drivers, cash for Malaysians, a few million for this group and another few million for that group.

And then there is the never-ending slush money for BN MPs, the latest being RM1.5 million for every one of those jokers in Parliament. Yes, you and I are sponsoring Mohamed Aziz of Sri Gading.

If that were not enough, we have an MRT project that seems to get more expensive by the day and which is being parcelled out to the rich and connected.

Oh, I forgot, we have an LRT that also gets more expensive by the day and which is being parcelled out to the rich, unqualified and connected.

And then are the billions being spent on infrastructure projects that the country does not need, just so that Najib can make some powerful Umno politician happy.

Basically, my wife and I are working like crazy to pay taxes, which are then used by a corrupt, racist and morally-bankrupt regime to stay in power. Not only that, our hard-earned money is being lavished on people who are allergic to work: Umno politicians and cybertroopers.

I am interested to hear from right-minded Malaysians on whether the time is right for a campaign to stop paying taxes until we can put in place a government that understands it is a steward of our money.

At present, the people in Putrajaya are behaving like feudal lords, “taxing their subjects and spending as they see fit.”

  1. #1 by monsterball on Sunday, 1 July 2012 - 4:15 am

    On tax paying, that Agency is very efficient to catch any Malaysians trying to cheat the government.
    However, they close both eyes when millions are not paid by UMNO b crooks.
    You can say the tax Agency is ordered to squeezed every sen from Malaysians.
    Presuming 7 million pay taxes…one more Ringgit means RM7 million more.
    When they steal by the billions….all they need is to pay less dividends to tax payers.
    Instead of 3 or 4 % dividends….reduce that to 1 or 2 % and the 2% will mean millions collected back to cover up the loss….which infact are stolen…not lost at all.
    This is my simple man in the street commonsense logic.
    I pay huge taxes and essentials keep getting dearer and dearer as if our country is so poor…no income from natural resources..only from toll fee…electricity….even water in certain areas…and biggest income generated are Income Taxes. That’s the Malaysia e are living in under Najib.
    Look how they travel…how they spend..how they dress….all so call rightful fringe benefits and charged to the government….thus to the tax payers.

  2. #2 by monsterball on Sunday, 1 July 2012 - 4:21 am

    I mean RM7 Million more per month for our salaries are deducted for EPF and Income taxes in commercial firms.
    If not…the boss has to pay….when their long arms coming checking.
    Yes EPF and Income tax Depts are very efficient…and Mahathir can just take RM1.2 billion from EPF to save his son with no fear.

  3. #3 by ENDANGERED HORNBILL on Sunday, 1 July 2012 - 7:03 am

    Well, taxes or no taxes, when the time is ripe, I won’t be surprised this BN government would even have the gall to privatise Bank Negara (Central Bank) if they have to so that some crony can just keep on running the presses 24 hours printing money. This way they will have all the money to spend and idiotic Malaysians will lose everything to inflation a la Quantitative Easing.

    Frightening? Tell me what is this Malaysia Boleh a la Mahathir/Najib administration incapable of? They don’t care two hoots if Malaysians go to hell-lah as long as they can sit on the laps of their virgin cronies sucking up all their greed.

  4. #4 by Bigjoe on Sunday, 1 July 2012 - 8:15 am

    What is really worrying is that EVEN MAHATHIR is warning Najib that the country has limited funds. The man most responsible for the mess of abuses of state finances and he is telling Najib not to over-spend?

    The one thing that is certain – you vote BN and you vote for HIGHER TAXES whether its Direct such as GST or indirect such as higher prices such as toll, utilities, 1Msia insurance or even just your cup of kopi-o at the mamak stall..

  5. #5 by negarawan on Sunday, 1 July 2012 - 9:35 am

    Downgrades of Malaysia by credit rating agencies is imminent. Najip keeps on spending the rakyat’s money irresponsibly for his selfish objectives. A person who uses money power is not fit to be a PM.

  6. #6 by yhsiew on Sunday, 1 July 2012 - 10:24 am

    ///we have an LRT that also gets more expensive by the day and which is being parcelled out to the rich, unqualified and connected.///

    Leaving the money issue aside, unqualified LRT constructors put the lives of passengers in jeopardy.

  7. #7 by Winston on Sunday, 1 July 2012 - 11:48 am

    It’s a good idea.
    In fact, the Federal Government has been withholding funds to state governments run by the PR that they don’t particularly like.
    Work out the mechanisms to put it into effect.
    While at it, also work out ways to put a stop to the runaway UMNO/BN freight train.
    It’s good to have this mechanism in place now instead of waiting any longer.

  8. #8 by ShiokGuy on Sunday, 1 July 2012 - 12:13 pm

    But the law says if you don’t pay taxes, you go to jail,. How?

  9. #9 by monsterball on Sunday, 1 July 2012 - 12:22 pm

    They catch you and simply dump you into jail for 7 days and go for court case.
    All UMNO b crooks are exempted unless non stop shouting made…then side shows begins.

  10. #10 by TheWrathOfGrapes on Sunday, 1 July 2012 - 12:24 pm

    ShiokGuy :
    But the law says if you don’t pay taxes, you go to jail,. How?

    Well, I don’t think there are enough cells to imprison 7 million tax payers (former).

  11. #11 by drngsc on Sunday, 1 July 2012 - 3:33 pm

    I think that this is a great idea.
    I would suggest caution, and think it through well. Let us get some tax experts to see all the pros and cons.
    BUT, if we work hard a throw out this bunch of shameless UMNO Santa Claus who use our money as their own. then we would have solve the problem too.
    Let us work hard to throw them out. Failing which, seriously look into civil disobedience. These shameless UMNO Santa Claus will bankrupt us.

    We must change the tenant at Putrajaya. GE 13 is coming soon. If there are no significant electoral reforms, first to Bersih 4.0, then to GE 13, then to Putrajaya.

    Change we must. Change we can. Change we will.

  12. #12 by monsterball on Sunday, 1 July 2012 - 3:37 pm

    Where money is concern…. every sen squeezed counts.
    These UMNO b crooks are exceptionally good in doing that.
    All Malaysians are being fooled for decades and yet they got re-elected.
    Actually no choice. Mahathir was a tyrant and Dictator for 22 years.
    Biggest Freedom Fighter Anwar released shouted “reformasi” “hentam tetap hentam” and Ambiga formed Bersih 1 …that’s it….Malaysians want change..and 12th GE result shocked the crooks into frenzy moods.
    Why do you think Najib cooked up Sodomy 2 for?

  13. #13 by boh-liao on Sunday, 1 July 2012 - 3:52 pm

    AhCHEATkor gloating: Hey, all you DOOMSAYERs, just look @ d headlines: FGVH soars 20pc on debut!
    SOAR! U know, yup, SOAR aaah, not SORE! U know!
    Kaya raya lah! He n UmnoB kakis with FGVH will SELL n make big profits n hv a big war chest 2 bribe n buy VOTEs lor
    AhCHEATkor tells voters: I give U, U give me; I make U all rich, WIN-WIN!
    ; C lately how nice me 2 si mata sempit n pendatang, went 2 UM n KTAR 2 fren-fren them, I want their votes, man (after GE13, lain cerita lah)

  14. #14 by limkamput on Sunday, 1 July 2012 - 4:53 pm

    A, B, C, D, and E choose not to pay tax. IRB only selectively charge A and B. The court fines a token sum on B but another court sends A to jail. Now, who want to be A, monsterball?

  15. #15 by limkamput on Sunday, 1 July 2012 - 4:56 pm

    If Monsterball chooses to be A, i don’t mind join the boycott, not that I have lots of taxes to pay as a dish washer in one of alleys in chow kit.

  16. #16 by yellowkingdom on Monday, 2 July 2012 - 12:36 am

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