Fresh from the recent mad rush to submit our income tax self assessments, I wonder where does my tax money go? Why do I need to pay taxes?
Someone did asked that question about "Where does income tax money go?" on Wiki Answers and the sole answer that came back "To the government and they use it as they see fit". Duly noted! But this is where it scares me... "they use it as they see fit", I'm not saying that the answer on Wiki Answer is accurate but yeah... in a nutshell, the money goes to the government and yes, they will spend it. ... but on what?
Borrowing from Simon's overly used term, I admit that I don't know jack sh*t about economics and all. But it got me thinking... hey... this country has an abundance in natural resources, we have oil, we have palm oil, we have rubber (both natural and those purchased from the 7-11 counters), we have fertile land, you get my point right... we have heaps of natural resource. Then we have people who pay taxes (like me). Where does all the money go to?
Some might mention that we have those 'Rancangan Malaysia" where all the big bucks go to. We see loads of money 'supposedly' being pumped into these 'plans'. Not to forget the multitude of 'Corridors' that had been announced. But what I would like to ask... do you actually see any of the taxes you paid generally benefit the population of this country? My answer... well, yes (to all those UMNO/BN cronies oh and not to forget those apparently PR cronies too) but not enough!
In my humble opinion we the rakyat get far less back in services and benefits from the federal and/or state government than we pay in. And it's an open secret that corruption has damaged our society and we have been tremendously being short-changed.
Think about it. If a fraction of all this dirty wasted money was put into better use like building schools, better healthcare, better trained and better paid teachers, civil service officers, police, proper basic infrastructures such as electricity, water, paved roads, sewerage, we would not be such a predicament where we console ourselves that we are better off than Zimbabwe or Congo. Come on la!
If these ftoopid leaders (past and present) can just spend 10% of their time thinking what's best for the people and country and use manage the finances wisely years ago, we would have already surpassed (I dare say) Sillypore or any of our other regional neighbours by now.
So what do we get now? We have public schools in dilapidated state, teachers who are poorly trained and rewarded, public hospitals that are in need of proper infrastructures and equipments, civil services who are little napoleons, and a police force that almost everyone in this country has nothing good to say about. I can go on and am sure we all got that long list somewhere in our pockets.
Bah! Why do I bother to pay taxes then when what I see is my money being used to fill some frakking state/federal crony's pocket. Frak it!
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Just look to Singapore and we can see how truly wasted our taxes are. The maximum tax rate in Singapore is 20% vs. 27/28% in Malaysia. Yet, the schools, universities, public transportation, police force, government service, and health care are way better than Malaysia (I am sure I am missing out a whole bunch of other things).
I wonder why no one bother to go around and take pictures of our politicians' houses and cars. There is no way their salary will explain how they can stay in those palaces and drive those super expensive foreign cars.
LtD: Agreed. I have lived and worked in Sillypore for 7 years and I paid my taxes there too, and I know that what the taxpayers have paid had been mostly put to good use that benefits everyone in that country. Sad to say that it isn't the same is this can-do country of mine.
Maniac,
Bah! Why do I bother to pay taxes then when what I see is my money being used to fill some frakking state/federal crony's pocket. Frak it!
Shaddup. Don't make it sound like you volunteerly pay taxes. Given a choice, you won't pay. Kakaka... Bulls-eye mate! Hahaha...
Ok serious serious. If we as taxpayers feel that our money is not being rightly used or simply, the objectives of paying taxes have not been met, in a true democracy, we NEED NOT pay taxes.
That's my view.
You've committed a crime if you don't pay taxes to the detriment of your fellow rakyat or nation building or any other true objectives of the tax money. But it is not a crime if you don't pay taxes to enrich the politicians and their cronies or where the tax money is then used to say, pay the police and judges, who then go against serving justice to the rakyat.
I believe many self employed or small businessman do avoid paying income taxes. The majority wage earners like me cann't escape being taxed.
There are many other taxes that we cann't avoid such as cukai pintu, cukai tanah, sales & service tax, excise duties on cars etc..
That's right, whenever I go to cinema or get my favourite McD Burger or 4D in Magnum & in fact almost everything we did in our daily life is being taxed.
Hey Yan,
You are truly the root of all evil. Now that you mentioned McD, I have the urge to have it for my lunch. That's gonna add a few unrequired pounds. Damn! Hahaha...
Simon,
You're going to "enrich" the BN government's coffer by contributing sales tax on your McD!
Simon & Yan: YOu both are right. For those who are salaried workers, we just can't avoid it. If we had a choice, we won't. BUt we are required by law, so that's where the frustration is. I feel like I have been robbed.
Look at the upcoming demise of the UK leadership under PM Brown. The scandal that hit about claims by ministers and MPs is chicken sh*te as compared to the blatant wastage of our fellow Malaysian's money. Think PKFZ scandal... macam not a scandal liddat. Like every frakking thing is normal. WTFrak!
McD is good. The benefits in this case far outweigh the sales tax contribution to some UMNO cronies. So, go now and buy more Big Macs. :D
LtD, are you working for the big 'M'? I am suspicious of you.