DAP national adviser Lim Guan Eng has cautioned Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim that failing to heed the concerns of Sabah voters could undermine support for Pakatan Harapan.
“The prime minister can choose not to listen to me. But he cannot afford to ignore the voices of Sabah voters,” Lim said, referencing voter dissatisfaction over extra taxes revealed in the Nov 29 Sabah election results.
In a Facebook post, Lim rejected claims that he only raised these issues after the election. He noted that since December 2024, he had delivered at least seven speeches in Parliament highlighting the impact of expanding the sales and services tax (SST) and other measures burdening ordinary Malaysians.
“Media personnel in Parliament can confirm that I repeatedly called for a review and delay of these SST and tax measures,” he added. The speeches were delivered on Dec 4, 2024; Feb 5, Mar 3, Mar 6, May 5, Aug 6, and Oct 16, 2025.
Lim also raised issues such as e-invoicing and delays in tax refunds, but said the government and Prime Minister Anwar continued with the implementation in the second half of 2025. He urged the prime minister to reconsider these measures.
Lim cited the case of Cheong Wei Foong, who runs four music academies and has been waiting since 2020 for RM112,000 in tax refunds. So far, he has received only RM4,147 this year.
“Cheong was deeply disappointed as the refunded amount is negligible compared with the total outstanding sum,” Lim said. The delays have strained his company’s cash flow, illustrating a broader problem for SMEs.
Lim stressed that excess tax collected belongs to taxpayers and should not be withheld for years. He urged the Inland Revenue Board (IRB) to expedite all outstanding refunds.
“IRB collects over RM300 billion in tax revenue each year. Processing refunds involving relatively small amounts should not be a problem,” Lim said. He added that while a company could likely win legal action to recover its money, very few would dare to sue the IRB.
