Latest news with #DapsySarawak
Borneo Post
12-06-2025
- Business
- Borneo Post
Stagger SST rollout for SMEs, young entrepreneurs, Dapsy S'wak chief urges MOF
Hee says while Sarawak's youth are ready to contribute to national development, they 'need space to breathe, grow, and recover'. MIRI (June 12): The Ministry of Finance should apply a staggered rollout of the Sales and Service Tax (SST) expansion to allow time for young entrepreneurs and small businesses in Sarawak to adapt, said Peter Hee. The Democratic Action Party Socialist Youth (Dapsy) Sarawak chief argued that unlike places like the Klang Valley, the state's business ecosystem is not tax-ready as many small and medium enterprises (SMEs) still rely on manual systems, especially in smaller towns and rural districts. 'As many businesses are yet to adopt digital invoicing or have access to accounting support, pushing them into a complex tax system overnight would be unfair and likely to cause non-compliance through confusion rather than intent. 'Tax reform must be fair – not just administratively efficient. If the government's intention is to increase revenue, it must not do so by pushing young and small entrepreneurs out of business,' he said in a statement. He said while Sarawak's youth are ready to contribute to national development, they 'need space to breathe, grow, and recover'. 'Let's not tax away their future before it begins,' he added. The Ministry of Finance has announced that the expansion of the SST effective this July 1, covering a wide range of services including private healthcare, education, financial services, construction, leasing, and personal care. According to Hee, the announcement has raised serious concern among youth entrepreneurs and small business owners in Sarawak. He said while Dapsy Sarawak supports responsible tax reform, it must be fair, inclusive, and sensitive to the realities on the ground, especially in Borneo. 'Sarawak's young entrepreneurs are showing remarkable initiative by venturing into business. Many are self-employed, running cafés, mobile salons, creative services, and online shops. 'However, they are already operating under pressure of rising electricity and rental costs; a weak ringgit affecting imports; as well as higher labour costs and compliance overheads, all while still in the process of post-pandemic recovery.' Hee believes that introducing a broader SST at this stage could be a tipping point as these small businesses would either have to raise prices – potentially losing customers – or absorb the cost and risk shutting down. Instead of targeting micro-enterprises, he said Putrajaya should focus on addressing tax avoidance by high-income individuals, corporate loopholes and monopolistic sectors that contribute less than their fair share to the government's coffers. 'It sends the wrong message when small local traders are taxed while mega-profits go untaxed.' He said Dapsy Sarawak is proposing the government exempt SMEs with under RM500,000 in annual revenue from the initial SST rollout; create a tax transition fund to support SMEs in system upgrades and tax literacy; and establish a youth enterprise relief scheme offering a three-year SST exemption for entrepreneurs under the age of 30. 'Sarawak should also be included in national tax policy conversations through an East Malaysia Tax Advisory Council,' he said. DAPSY Finance Ministry MoF Peter Hee SST
Borneo Post
30-05-2025
- Business
- Borneo Post
RM100 mln for air charters? Dapsy S'wak calls for transparency from state govt
Wong says the state administration must justify how such a substantial expenditure serves the public interest. KUCHING (May 30): The Democratic Action Party Socialist Youth (Dapsy) Sarawak has called on the state government to provide a detailed breakdown of the RM100 million allocated for air charter services under the Supplementary Supply (2025) Bill. Dapsy Sarawak treasurer Wong King Yii said the state administration must justify how such a substantial expenditure serves the public interest. 'The Sarawak government must also commit to transparency and public accountability in all supplementary spending,' he said in a statement. Wong described the RM100 million allocation as 'troubling,' citing both the sheer amount involved and the reality that many of Sarawak's basic infrastructure needs remain unaddressed. He pointed out that rural communities continue to suffer from poor road conditions, unreliable utilities, and limited access to public services, while local councils struggle to maintain facilities or respond to long-standing complaints. 'And yet, RM100 million is suddenly available — for air charters?' Wong added that Sarawakians deserve to know what kind of 'increased activities' warrant such a large budget and who stands to benefit from it. He insisted that this is not about political posturing but fairness and responsible spending. 'The government cannot, on one hand, claim poverty when maintaining roads or supporting rural communities, and on the other hand approve high-cost, vague allocations without proper explanation,' he said. Wong emphasised that Sarawakians are not demanding luxuries but expect basic necessities like functioning roads, clean water, and reliable public services. Until those fundamental needs are addressed, he said, every sen spent elsewhere must be thoroughly scrutinised and publicly explained. 'We do not oppose the Sarawak government's efforts to bring in foreign investments and promote economic development, but the premise must be that all allocations are transparent and ensure every sen of public money is spent where it is truly needed – not on high-cost expenditures lacking clear explanations,' he added.
Borneo Post
16-05-2025
- Politics
- Borneo Post
Dapsy Sarawak calls for holistic selection to give more students access to matriculation
Peter Hee MIRI (May 16): The Democratic Action Party Socialist Youth (Dapsy) Sarawak has called on the Ministry of Education (MoE) to implement a more balanced and transparent policy to ensure fairer access to matriculation at Malaysian public universities. Dapsy Sarawak leader Peter Hee urged the ministry to adopt a more inclusive and accountable approach to reflect the diverse realities faced by Malaysian students. 'We commend any initiative that acknowledges the struggles and achievements of students from underserved and rural communities. Many of these students have worked incredibly hard in challenging environments and deserve a fair chance at further education,' he said in a statement. He was commenting on Senator C Sivaraj's proposal to recognise students with A- grades or 9A's in Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) for matriculation entry. Dapsy Sarawak proposed there should be contextual merit recognition, holistic selection, and transparency in policy implementation. He explained that the holistic selection framework should incorporate a broader evaluation model that considers co-curricular involvement, socioeconomic background, and school infrastructure alongside academic performance. 'It should recognise students' academic achievements within the context of their environment, particularly those from rural or under-resourced schools,' he said. Dapsy Sarawak, he said, fully supports transparency to ensure that any updated entry requirements are clearly communicated and consistently applied, to prevent confusion or perceived bias. 'We are ready to engage with the Ministry of Education, youth leaders, and student groups to help shape policies that uphold both fairness and excellence,' he added. Sivaraj had called on MoE to revise its current policy which he said risked sidelining high-achieving non-Bumiputera SPM students as the automatic rejection of A- appeared to negate the value of the hard work of high-achieving students. Under the current policy, only students who score a minimum of 10A+s or A's are eligible for automatic admission to the matriculation programme. This excludes those who achieve 10A's as even one A-, or those with 9A's would not be considered 'excellent'. C. Sivaraj lead matriculation MOE Peter Hee
