Workers’ Party (WP) member and Sengkang GRC MP Louis Chua objected to the increase in GST during a parliamentary debate yesterday (7 November) before it was ultimately passed.
He compared the GST increase to scoring an own goal in football when your team is 5-0 down.
Snippet of Louis Chua’s speech
When the decision to raise the GST to 9% was mooted in 2019, circumstances couldn’t be more different. There was no Covid. Commodity prices are half of what they are today. Inflation rates are 1/10th of what they are today.
While we recognize that the GST hike is meant to meet growing expenditure needs, The Workers’ Party has consistently made clear our view that the GST hike is not necessary, and that there are ways to raise recurrent revenue without resorting to an increase in GST.
Do we really want to fan the flames of inflation, and contribute an additional unnecessary one percentage point increase in the cost of living?
Are we contributing to inflationary pressures? I am not much of a football person, but when your team is five-nil down, does it make sense to respond by scoring an own goal?