Latest news with #AyerHitam
The Star
8 hours ago
- Business
- The Star
Dr Wee: Review expanded SST
PETALING JAYA: Apart from a longer list of goods taxable under the expanded Sales and Services Tax (SST), another major concern of the people is the tax on raw materials and machinery, says Datuk Seri Dr Wee Ka Siong (pic). The MCA president said this will then set off a wave of price increases down the line, causing more pressure on the people. 'The SST brings a cascading effect because the raw materials and machinery will also be taxed after this. 'This silent inflation wave will surely be felt by all levels of society throughout the coming months,' said the Ayer Hitam MP in a Facebook video yesterday. He pointed out that back in 2018, more than 8,000 items were exempted from the SST. Under the expanded tax scheme set to take effect on July 1, the list has been significantly shrunk to only around 1,000 items, he said. He added that the expanded SST will not only apply to wellness and beauty-related services, it will also be applied to traditional products such as red dates, black fungus, dried longan and snow fungus. He stressed that many industries including rubber, plastics, medicine and oil palm, and the manufacturing sector have voiced their concerns about the expanded scheme as about 97% of goods in the market will be taxed. 'While we welcome the government's U-turn on the tax for imported fruits, it is not enough. 'The real issue and danger lies in the taxation of raw materials and industrial machinery,' he said. 'Politics aside, the people's welfare should be prioritised. It is better for the government to review the scheme or scrap it altogether,' he said, adding that the SST rate had already increased (from 6% to 8%) on March 1, last year. Dr Wee added that it was unfortunate that the expanded SST will start on July 1, the same day that the base electricity tariff and Port Klang tariffs are set to increase. 'The obvious solution for the government is still the GST, which is a fairer and more transparent taxation system. 'The main difference between both systems is that the GST taxes the end user – you use more, you pay more – while the SST taxes all levels of the supply chain and the end user has to pay a far higher price in the end,' he said. 'The GST ensures the stability and strength of the country while the SST will further burden the people and give businesses an excuse to raise prices,' he stressed. In announcing the expanded SST, the Finance Ministry said the measure is to strengthen the country's fiscal position by increasing revenue and broadening the tax base.
Free Malaysia Today
3 days ago
- Automotive
- Free Malaysia Today
Attendant dies in 2-lorry crash on North-South Expressway.
The attendant was trapped in the front passenger seat, while the two lorry drivers were uninjured. (JBPM pic) PETALING JAYA : A lorry attendant died in a crash between two lorries at KM79.9 of the North-South Expressway (southbound) near Ayer Hitam, Johor, today. The 26-year-old attendant, who was trapped in the front passenger seat, died at the scene in the 8.35am incident. The 40-year-old driver and the second lorry's driver, 35, were unhurt. The crash blocked all three lanes of the highway heading south, causing traffic congestion. Ayer Hitam fire and rescue station operations commander Nasrul Rahman Rusdi said they received an emergency call just before 9am and sent six personnel from the station to the scene.
The Star
4 days ago
- Politics
- The Star
Postpone Satu intake, suspend planned medical tuition hike until issues resolves, Dr Wee urges UM
KUALA LUMPUR: Universiti Malaya should postpone its intake under Saluran Terbuka Universiti Awam (Satu) and suspend the planned fee hike for its Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS) and other medical courses, says Datuk Seri Dr Wee Ka Siong. Raising serious concerns over accessibility and equity in public medical education, the MCA president urged the Higher Education Ministry to intervene immediately and protect the interests of students from low- and middle-income families, particularly those who failed to secure places through the Unit Pusat Universiti (UPU) centralised admission system. 'We are calling for an immediate halt to the Satu (Open Channel for Public Universities) intake until all the issues surrounding it are properly clarified and resolved. "The proposed increase in MBBS fees to RM500,000 for the 2025/2026 intake is alarming and must be postponed,' he said during a press conference at Wisma MCA on Monday (24 June). He added that similarly unreasonable fee hikes for other critical courses must also be held back. The MCA released the "Position Paper on Two Channels, One Future: Ensuring Fair Access to Universiti Malaya's Medical Programmes and Other Critical Courses" on Tuesday (June 24), and made it available for public reading online. The Ayer Hitam MP emphasised that the escalating fee burden of the Satu channel and the erosion of transparency in public university admissions is a matter of national concern, not only for the Chinese community but for all Malaysians who depend on public education as a vehicle for social mobility. The party outlined five key recommendations to the government to ensure that underprivileged students, especially those in the B40 and M40 income groups, are not priced out of higher education opportunities at public universities. The first recommendation calls for a freeze on the Satu intake and the associated fee increases, alongside an independent audit of the Satu structure to justify the significant cost disparities compared to other public and private institutions. The MCA also demands transparency in the decision-making process behind the fee hikes. 'We need a clear explanation for why such a drastic fee increase is happening at a public university. Without transparency, this risks turning medical education into a privilege for the rich,' said Dr Wee. The second recommendation focuses on transparency in admissions. The MCA is asking for the publication of student admission breakdowns by qualification type — such as Sijil Tinggi Persekolahan Malaysia (STPM), matriculation, foundation, and diploma — for high-demand programmes like medicine. It also wants the algorithm used by the UPU to assess and standardise CGPAs to be made public, as well as an annual report on both Satu and UPU admissions and the allocation of resources for critical courses. To address the issue of limited seat availability, the MCA's third proposal urges the expansion of subsidised UPU intakes for medicine and other essential fields. Dr Wee also called for a review of national priorities under Budget 2026 and the 13th Malaysia Plan to allocate more funding for healthcare and education. 'Relying too heavily on fee-paying students through the Satu stream undermines the mission of public universities,' he said. The MCA's fourth recommendation involves reforming the governance of the dual admission channels. It proposes establishing independent oversight over Satu admissions to prevent excessive commercialisation and ensure that meritocracy is upheld. The party also suggests capping fee-paying intakes to preserve fairness in flagship programmes. Lastly, Dr Wee stressed the need to address disparities in how different pre-university qualifications are evaluated. He called for a review of the UPU assessment framework to ensure that students from the STPM route are not disadvantaged, noting that the academic rigour and duration of the STPM programme should be fairly acknowledged. 'These students deserve fair consideration. The system should not penalise them simply because of the path they took,' he said. The proposed fee increase for Universiti Malaya's MBBS programme — from RM299,200 in 2024/2025 to RM500,000 in 2025/2026 — has sparked public outcry, with critics warning it will make medical education unattainable for most STPM and matriculation graduates unless they come from wealthy backgrounds. The criteria for enrolment in Bachelor's Degree Programmes differs between the UPU and Satu channels. For UPU, applicants need a minimum CGPA of 3.00-3.80, with a higher threshold of 3.80 for competitive courses like MBBS. Accepted qualifications include STPM, Matriculation, Asasi UM, or equivalents such as A-Levels with AAA grades or IB with 36 points. Additionally, candidates must meet specific subject requirements, such as an A- in Biology, Chemistry, and Physics/Mathematics for MBBS. In contrast, Satu maintains similar academic standards but offers flexibility for non-current-year qualifications. For Malaysians applying to MBBS through Satu, a CGPA of 3.80 is required. In a March 2025 video, UMANY activist and Universiti Malaya Student Union (UMSU) student representative Lee Yu Dong highlighted that the MBBS programme's high costs risk entrenching inequality in access to professional degrees. In another viral TikTok video posted around the same time, Jelyn Ong, Newgen activist and UMSU medical faculty student representative, warned that access to public medical education is being shaped by one's ability to pay rather than academic ability.
Free Malaysia Today
08-06-2025
- Business
- Free Malaysia Today
You're looking at the wrong law, Armizan tells Wee in LPG row
Armizan Mohd Ali and Wee Ka Siong have been exchanging verbal blows over a government operation to control the use of subsidised cooking gas. (Bernama pic) PETALING JAYA : Domestic trade and cost of living minister Armizan Mohd Ali has accused MCA president Wee Ka Siong of quoting the wrong law as the pair continued to lock horns over rules on subsidised cooking gas cylinders. Armizan said he had clearly stated that his ministry's actions to enforce Op Gasak, to combat illegal decanting and use of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) cylinders, was carried out under the Control of Supplies (Amendment) Regulations 2021. 'However, Wee was referring to the Control of Supplies (Amendment) Act 2021. He definitely wouldn't find the provisions that I'm talking about there,' said Armizan after Wee posted several documents to 'prove' that there was no requirement for businesses to apply for a permit to use more than three LPG cylinders. 'I appeal to all politicians to not confuse the rakyat by making wrong references,' Armizan said in a statement. He also questioned why Wee did not speak up to oppose the amended control of supplies regulations when it was passed in 2021, when Wee, MP for Ayer Hitam, was a minister. On Thursday, Armizan announced that the Cabinet had agreed to allow small businesses to continue to use subsidised gas without requiring a permit until October. The exemption would remain in effect until amendments to the Control of Supplies (Amendment) Regulations 2021 are finalised.
The Star
02-06-2025
- Politics
- The Star
Full support for Onn Hafiz from Ayer Hitam division
Close ranks: Dr Wee and Ling taking a group photo with party members after the Ayer Hitam MCA division annual general meeting at a restaurant in Yong Peng, Johor. YONG PENG: Ayer Hitam MCA has unanimously expressed its full support for Johor Mentri Besar Datuk Onn Hafiz Ghazi to continue leading the state. The division also passed another resolution for MCA president Datuk Seri Dr Wee Ka Siong to lead the party and be nominated again as a candidate in the next general election. Dr Wee is the incumbent Ayer Hitam MP. The delegates also want MCA Youth chief Ling Tian Soon, the Yong Peng state assemblyman, to defend the seat. They said Onn Hafiz has been an effective Mentri Besar, citing his strong leadership and vision for the 'Maju Johor 2030' agenda. The agenda has six key thrusts – good governance, sustainable economic development, an enhanced social safety net, improved facilities and basic amenities, security, cleanliness and the environment, and special focus on youths – to ensure its vision of becoming a developed state by 2030. During the division annual general meeting yesterday, some 200 delegates voted strongly in favour of Onn Hafiz to lead the Johor Barisan Nasional machinery in the upcoming state polls. A total of six resolutions were passed during the meeting, which was also attended by Dr Wee and Ling. Besides expressing support for all three leaders, the division urged the Education Ministry to review the new matriculation entry requirement, where those who scored A- in Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia are not considered to have attained an A. The delegates also want an explanation on why lesser allocations were given to Chinese schools in last year's budget. On a localised issue, they were against the implementation of a paid parking system in Yong Peng, which they felt could lead to other issues such as illegal parking. The move could affect the livelihood of residents and businesses in the area, they added.
