KUCHING: Tan Kai’s allegations on the approved permit (AP) for sugar import are baseless, says Pending assemblywoman Violet Yong.
She said the AP for sugar import issued by the Ministry of Consumer Affairs was one example where the Pakatan Harapan (PH) government tried to break away the monopolistic market of sugar in Sarawak and to give this permit to the food and beverages (FnB) manufacturers to import sugar directly from outside the country.
“Instead of the manufacturers buying from two companies that monopolised the market, which are MSM Malaysia Holdings Bhd and Central Sugar Refinery (CSR) Sdn Bhd,” she said at a press conference here.
She accused SUPP of going all out to sabotage this policy.
“Therefore, whatever allegations that had been made by SUPP and Tan Kai are baseless, unwarranted and uncalled for.”
“You are the political secretary to the chief minister. Don’t you know that 19 MPs from GPS in Parliament can throw their questions at the Ministry of Consumer Affairs to ask for all the information that you need rather than making a fool of yourself by talking nonsense to the media,” she chided Tan Kai.
Violet said Tan Kai had offended all FnB manufacturers in Sarawak as “he is trying to stop them from enjoying the low manufacturing cost as importing sugar from other countries is way cheaper compared to buying from the two local companies and also stopping them from sourcing cheaper and raw materials for their manufacturing products.”
“I want to urge SUPP and GPS to support this policy as when the local manufacturers get lower cost for their raw materials, they are able to lower the cost of their products and gives them an advantage to compete in the foreign market,” she stressed.
She revealed that there were still many FnB manufacturers trying to apply for the AP and the ministry was going through all the applications.
FnB manufacturers can submit their applications straight to the Ministry of Consumer Affairs without going through any middle man.
Violet added that manufacturers could reserve their right to take any legal action against Tan Kai because “he is implicating them, that they are giving some good benefits in exchange for these APs, which in actual fact, is not happening.”
