Umno to restore GST if returns to power, says Ahmad Zahid
Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi announced that the party intends to reintroduce the Goods and Services Tax (GST) if they return to power. He explicitly rejected the government's proposal for a hybrid GST-SST taxation system, calling for a return to a standalone GST model.
Why it matters
Taxation policy is a central economic debate in Malaysia, and this announcement signals a clear policy divergence between the opposition and the current administration.
KUALA LUMPUR: Umno plans to bring back the Goods and Services Tax (GST) if it returns to heading the federal government, with Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi rejecting the proposed idea of a hybrid GST-SST system.
The Umno president said the party was committed to reintroducing GST at a more reasonable rate, arguing that it was a better approach than combining different taxation systems.
“Allah willing, our resolve is to bring GST back into the taxation system.
“We are determined to reintroduce GST at a more reasonable rate and percentage,” he said in his policy speech at the opening of the 2026 Umno General Assembly at the World Trade Centre here on Friday (Sept 11).
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