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For many of us Workers’ Day is just another public holiday. But for workers at the raw end of development, it is a day to reflect on their rights as workers and their collective strength.

Even as I write, workers are gathering in Dataran Merdeka to commemorate the occasion.

What do they want? This year their principal demand is No Goods and Services Tax. They point out that Najib’s New Economic Model recognises that the gap between the rich and the poor is wide, and the country needs to move away from a low-income model. If that’s the case, why are there plans to introduce a regressive tax like the GST which will burden the poor the most, they ask.

The full list of demands in the May Day declaration endorsed by dozens of Malaysian civil society groups:

1. RAKYAT MALAYSIA BANTAH CUKAI GST. CUKAI GST MEMISKINKAN RAKYAT!

Di samping itu, tuntutan-tuntutan lain kaum pekerja ialah:

2. Kekalkan Cukai Korporat di tahap 27 peratus. Pengurangan cukai ini akan menyebabkan pengalihan beban cukai kepada rakyat biasa melalui Cukai GST

3. Gubal Akta Gaji Minima untuk semua pekerja dan mansuhkan polisi gaji murah

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