PKR to distribute ‘cheaper cars’ stickers

Syed Jaymal Zahiid | August 15, 2012
For the coming Hari Raya holidays, the opposition party will be distributing the stickers at toll plazas along the highways.
PETALING JAYA: PKR is planning to make use of the Hari Raya holidays to launch its cheap car campaign with 50,000 stickers saying “Turunkan harga kereta” (Reduce car prices) to be distributed at toll booths as part of its election push ahead of national polls.
“The campaign will take advantge of the “balik kampung” holidays in conjunction with Hari Raya Aidilfitri.
“Information about PKR’s proposal to reduce car prices by gradual abolishment of excise duties will reach the whole country,” PKR’s communications director Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad told a press conference here today.
Federal opposition bloc Pakatan Rakyat had declared its intention to make its promise to cut hefty excise duties and sales taxes on cars as one of its major elections campaigns which is likely to be a popular issue among the voters.
Duties and taxes make up close to 100% of the total amount Malaysians pay for a car making prices here among the highest in the region.
This meant that if a Malaysian consumer paid RM100,000 for a car, as much as RM55,000 went to Putrajaya.
Nik Nazmi said the car stickers and flyers explaining PKR’s proposal will also be given out during a nationwide tour dubbed “Jelajah Turunkan Harga Kereta”. It will officially kickstart from Aug 24.
Pakatan’s political rivals have blasted the proposal as an election winning ploy, saying the opposition bloc will likely draft a new tax scheme to compensate the loss in government revenue generated from car taxes that is estimated to be around RM8 billion annually.
PKR claimed this can be substituted by a holistic revamp of the National Automotive Policy like managing Approved Permits for imported cars and creating new markets for used cars.
It also said a cut in car duties could help stimulate the economy and increase disposable income and reduce household debt.
Malaysia’s household debt last year stood at a whopping RM581 billion. Some 20% of it is caused by high taxes held in cars, an asset that depreciates over time.

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