KOTA KINABALU: MP for Tawau Datuk Chua Soon Bui has urged the Federal Government to immediately abolish the Cabotage policy.
She stressed that this is only appropriate since the Minster of Transport Datuk Seri Kong Cho Ha has recently publicly proclaimed that the Government is liberal in its Cabotage policy, and that foreign vessels are free to enter any ports in Sabah.
"He (Kong) should be responsible for what he had said," she said, adding that she would raise this issue in Parliament after this.
She said the abolition of the said policy would also be consistent with the Prime Minister's "1Malaysia” concept, and also the implementation of the Economic Transformation Program (ETP) in Sabah aimed to provide Sabah with a competitive edge.
She was also convinced that its abolishment would effectively relieve the current burden of the people due to a high cost of living, which was largely contributed by the Cabotage policy.
"The people of Sabah have been living in great misery with about 40 per cent higher cost of living for the past 30 years; this includes the cost of essential items like food and medicine. This was despite the fact that Sabah is the poorest state in Malaysia," she pointed out.
She noted that the implementation of the said policy has also adversely impacted on the various industries in Sabah, the manufacturing and construction industries included.
This was due to a high material cost contributed by a high shipping cost.
Chua, who is also a Vice President of Sabah Progressive Party (SAPP), explained that this is because under the Cabotage policy, only Malaysian cargo ships are allowed to bring in cargo from foreign countries to Port Klang and later transshipping the imported cargo to Sabah ports.
She expressed shock over Kong's recent response on the Cabotage policy issue, which completely dismissed the tremendous suffering it had incurred upon the people of Sabah.
She also concurred with Datuk Wong Khen Thau, President of the Federation of Sabah Manufacturers (FSM) that any future communication to resolve Sabah problems should be directed to the Prime Minister.
She said it was understand. able that the people of Sabah especially the business sectors have completely lost faith on both the Federal and State Ministers to resolve the Cabotage policy issue for Sabah and Sarawak.
Daily Express
Sunday, March 25, 2012
Page 20
Lagi isu pasal polisi kabotaj diketegahkan. Entah apa respon kerajaan terhadap isu ini.
ReplyDeleteYang pasti pembangkang masing-masing berlumba jadi hero menerusi isu ini.
ReplyDeletePastikan isu yang semakin kerap diutarakan ini diberi perhatian sewajarnya.
ReplyDeleteKalau perlu dimansuhkan then mansuhkan sahaja plosi ini.
ReplyDeleteKaji hal ini sebelum buat apa-apa keputusan. Tapi sebagai rakyat saya menyokong segala sesuatu yang memberikan manfaat kepada rakyat. So kerajaan harus pastikan polisi ini bawa kebaikan lebih banyak kepada rakyat dan bukannya sebaliknya.
ReplyDeleteapa2 dasar yang membebankan harus dimansuhkan, wujudkan dasar yang memudahkan.
ReplyDeleteKerana dasar kabotaj ini menyebabkan kita 1 Negara 2 harga yang berbeza. Semenanjung harga lebih murah berbanding di Sabah hanya kerana disebabkan oleh dasar ini. Maka cari keputusan yang terbaik mengenai perkara ini.
ReplyDeleteKalau polisi ini membebankan rakyat sudah perlu polisi ini perlu dimansuhkan untuk Sabah dan Sarawak.
ReplyDeleteMinister of Transport, Datuk Seri Kong Cho Ha said that the increase in prices of goods in Sabah said to be a result of the Cabotage policy is not true as there are other factors that contribute to the rising prices and among them are storage costs and the cost of port services.
ReplyDeleteThe Ministry of Transport has also denied the accusation that the Cabotage policy does not allow foreign ships to call at Sabah ports after unloading containers at the Peninsular port. According to the Cabotage policy does not prevent foreign ships from making direct call at any port in Malaysia from any port in the world. This means that after calling at Port Klang, the same ship can visit Sabah to unload and upload cargo before continuing its international destinations.
ReplyDeleteThe claim that only certain shipping companies are allowed to transport transit containers between Sabah and Peninsular Malaysia is also untrue as the Ministry of Transport never gave special permission or specified only certain shipping companies could provide container services in Malaysia.
ReplyDeleteThe government had already liberalised the Cabotage policy for the transportation of containerised transhipment cargo between Port Kelang and Port of Tanjung Pelepas and Sepangar Port on June 3, 2009. This means that foreign ships are free to transport transit containers from main vessels that berth in Peninsular direct to Sabah.
ReplyDeleteAny decision to import or export a container direct to or from Sabah is an independent business decision made by shipping company concerned. It has no direct connection with any policy or limitation set by the government. Importers and exporters are also free to choose any shipping service made available to them by any shipping company. There are several factors that shipping companies have to consider before deciding to make any port of call, such as quantity of cargo, total costs involved, delivery destinations and others.
ReplyDeletedasar kabotaj ini mungkin sudah lama dimansuhkan sekiranya YTL dan pemimpin2 SAPP yang lain menyuarakan hal ini ketika YTL masih menjawat jawatan ketua menteri Sabah..
ReplyDeleteIt is better to discuss with the Ministry of Transport ways to reduce the freight charges for cargo from Port Klang to Sabah instead of debating on the cabotage policy.
ReplyDeleteBoth Industrial Development Minister Datuk Raymond Tan and Assistant Minister to the Chief Minister Datuk Edward Khoo agreed that the issue at hand was the cargo and freight charges. "The Minister must find out from the operators, the industry players, it is not the ship, it is the cargo.
DeleteSo let's look further and find out if it is the problem with the cargo.
Delete"What is the meaning of already liberalised if you have problems connected to cabotage. To me it is liberalised, it is open," said Tan when met after the State Assembly adjournment, Thursday.
DeleteTan said he had discussed with the Federation of Sabah Manufacturers (FSM) on the issue before and that the KK Port is already liberalised, meaning foreign ships can come.
Delete"The issue here is the cargo. Foreign ships do not carry domestic cargo," he said.
DeleteHe said cabotage is a law under the Shipping Act and if it was to be amended, it must go through the proper procedures in Parliament.
Delete"It is not a practice or a policy, it is a law. And the Minister can help to liberalise, that means the cabotage under the law will not be applicable to certain destinations, which in this case I think the Ministry of Transport has liberalised.
Delete"KK and Sepanggar are liberalised ports. But the issue is on the cargo, then we have to work with the ministry and (FSM President) Datuk Wong Khen Thau to find out what sort of cargo they are talking about.
Delete"Is it that the foreign ships cannot carry domestic container or just foreign containers?" he asked.
Delete"The Minister can actually help. Datuk Seri Kong Cho Ha is right, it is already liberalised but maybe he wants to know from the industry players if it is the cargo they are worried about," he said. Tan said it was a different issue altogether if a foreign ship calling on Port Klang was just carrying domestic goods to Sabah and if it was carrying goods coming from Hong Kong or China. Tan said there is no more cabotage in Sepanggar Port.
Delete"The foreign ship can carry anything, the only thing I'm not sure is what kind of cargo they are talking about. Is there a condition saying that foreign ships cannot carry domestic containers?
DeleteThat is what the Minister has to look into," he said.
DeleteOn the request by FSM that Sabah be given 25 years tax exemption in compensation of the implementation of the cabotage policy, Tan said it was illogical.
Delete"I cannot see the logic on this proposal because the Government has been promoting investment and already gives incentives to any investor.
DeleteThis is a standard programme.
"All investors in KKIP or POIC for example, they are already given tax incentives on pioneer status. They are given even better incentive packages through MITI, MIDA which include the training of their workers and site preparations.
Delete"That is why now the figure of investors coming into Sabah is going up.
DeleteSabah is doing well, we in 2011 already have small and big investors coming into Sabah accumulating an investment value of RM1.1 billion, and this is not taking into account oil and gas which would amount to billions of ringgit," he said.
DeleteTan said investments and businesses coming in were not a problem and when more people were coming in to invest it means they have confidence that the system in Sabah was working. "We look at it very seriously.
DeleteI think the Transport Minister can help, maybe he can come and sit down with the business community. I will be happy to be with the Minister to sit down with the business community and highlight issues.
Delete"We do that every year with the Minister of Trade.
We sit down and discuss but it is not something we fight about in the newspapers," he said.
DeleteKhoo said Tan pointed out there was some misunderstanding as to where the problem is.
DeleteAt the same time, he also fully supported the stand by Deputy Chief Minister Tan Sri Joseph Pairin Kitingan asking the Federal Government to temporarily suspend the cabotage policy to Sabah.
Khoo said back in 2009, he was the one who brought the State's stakeholders like Wong to meet with the previous Transport Minister in Parliament, which resulted in the partial liberalisation of the cabotage policy allowing foreign vessels carrying cargo to Port Klang to also come to Sabah.
DeleteHowever, Khoo who is Sabah MCA Chief said he was told there were about eight or nine domestic shipping companies carrying domestic cargo to Sabah and importers claimed they are overcharging.
Delete"The freight charges are very high, I think the Ministry of Transport should look into this also," he said when met outside the State Assembly.
Delete"The gist of the problem is that we are paying unusually high freight charges from Port Klang to Sabah. So whether it is a temporary suspension of the cabotageÉmake the freight charges reasonable for all Sabahans.
DeleteThat is more important," he said. He said the State Government was very committed in resolving the issue and in fact the Chief Minister had raised the matter in the Cabinet as well as post Cabinet meetings to be discussed.
Delete"We request the Ministry of Transport to also try to control the freight charges to Sabah. Make it reasonable. We leave it to the Federal Government to find a way to regulate the freight charges," he said.
Delete"We agree with the stakeholders it has been too long already that they are paying these extremely high freight charges. I will continue to help the State Government with this. All of us are committed," he said.
DeleteMeanwhile, Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Datuk VK Liew said the Transport Minister had given his view but "I do not necessary agree with him".
DeleteHe said he was fully aware of Kong's statement on the cabotage policy and that it was one of his subjects of concern when he was the Deputy Minister of International Trade and Industry (MiTi).
Delete"I believe there are pros and cons in the issue that we need to actually address.
Delete"I think there is room where we need to handle the situation for the benefit of the Sabah people. There are issues in the cabotage policy not favourable to us.
"We need to sit down because this cabotage policy is a Federal matter that we need to address at that level. Datuk Wong has also visited Miti and me during my time as the Deputy Minister in Miti and I fully symphatised with him and also the grievances faced by the people of Sabah.
Delete"We will have to look into the concept of cabotage policy, whether it is still relevant to the needs of Sabah," said Liew, who is also President of Liberal Democratic Party (LDP).
Delete"We cannot decide on this unilaterally. We need to sit down to come out with the best solution that benefits both sides. This has been going on for far too long," he said after opening the LDP West Coast Operations Room in Taipan, Inanam near here, Thursday.
Delete"In any form of policy there is bound to be pros and cons, you cannot simply set it aside and say this is no good. Otherwise how can it be around for so long?" he asked.
Delete