The prime minister had promised to set aside half of the tax revenue from vaping products for anti-smoking campaigns and other health-related matters.

The Indian government currently imposes a 28% tax on diesel cars and an additional so-called 'cess' is levied depending on the vehicles' engine capacity.

Rafael Alun Trisambodo allegedly received about US$90,000 in kickbacks from taxpayers via a consultancy group he founded to resolve their tax disputes.

Steven Sim says visitors to Malaysia are more interested in tourist destinations and local handicrafts than shopping for luxury goods.

Without a fixed definition, they say, the scope of the tax might change over time, affecting more items and consumers.

The Center for Market Education says the narrative in the budget is populist without any strategy on meaningful tax reforms.

Steven Sim says the health ministry is looking into the legal framework for taxation.

From next year, the sales tax on everything goes from 7% to 8%, and barring a sharp global economic downturn next year, it will then rise to 9% in 2024.

A tax rate of 36% will be placed on the production or import of e-cigarettes, while an 11% tax will be placed on the wholesale distribution of e-cigarettes.

The Manhattan district attorney's office has charged the Trump Organization and its then-chief financial officer Allen Weisselberg with defrauding tax authorities by awarding 'off the books' benefits to company executives.

Individual income tax rates will be cut while incentives will be continued for a number of areas.

The event was organised by a group which last year invited convicted former leader Najib Razak to be a key speaker at a democracy forum.