Lim said Malaysia continued to be in deficit even after the GST was implemented on April 1, 2015.
“Will the communications and multimedia ministry act against the prime minister for spreading fake news?” the Bagan MP asked in a statement.
Lim, who is also Penang chief minister, said the ministry should prove that there were no double standards in its efforts to tackle fake news.
“Malaysia was in deficit before April 1, 2015, and claims that the GST will cure the budget deficit are a lie when Malaysia continues to be in deficit even after GST was implemented,” he said.
“Clearly, the RM45 billion in GST collected this year is not enough to cover the deficit because of extensive corruption within BN (Barisan Nasional). Only a clean government can cure the deficit.”
Lim added that Penang and Selangor, which are governed by the opposition, had proven that a surplus budget was possible even without the tax.
He also took Deputy Communications and Multimedia Minister Jailani Johari to task over his warning that those who continued propagating and spreading fake news, especially involving 1MDB, would face stern action.
He said Jailani’s statement showed BN’s desperation to cover up the issue ahead of the 14th general election (GE14).
“Is Jailani also saying that the US’ Department of Justice (DoJ) investigation of 1MDB over the misappropriating and money laundering of US$4.5 billion in funds belonging to the Malaysian public is also fake news?”
Jailani had identified several online news portals which he claimed were out to tarnish the image and reputation of the prime minister by reviving the 1MDB issue.
He said among the portals were The Wall Street Journal, New York Times, The Economist, Australian Broadcasting Corporation and MSNBC, which he alleged had published fake news about 1MDB since last week.