KUCHING: Stakan Sarawak United People’s Party (SUPP) chairman Sim Kiang Chiok blasted Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Deputy Minister Chong Chieng Jen for not announcing the Approved Permit (AP) list of sugar importers as yet.
He said even with just the seven names on the list of the importers, Chong did not even dare to announce their names and that there must be something seriously inappropriate that is holding back the publication of the names.
“Where is their clean and transparent government that DAP (Democratic Action Party) is committed to?
“Chong recently spoke to the relevant industry players in Sabah and he also mentioned about the issuing of AP for import of sugar.
“I believe it will eventually be the same as in Sarawak where he would announce the number of APs issued and the names of the importers will be withheld,” he said. SUPP, he added, is not against the liberalisation of the import of sugar with issuance of more licences to reduce the cost of the producers.
“However we would like to know where are the benefits as we need to be satisfied that the sugar importers are transferring the saving from the cheaper cost of sugar to their end-product so that we the public will enjoy the lower price to help us to lower our cost of living; or are these companies making higher profit without reducing their prices with lower cost of sugar?”
“Why can’t sugar import be free from any licence so that all Malaysians can enjoy it? How is the ministry going to satisfy the public that these sugar importers are not going to import to sell to the public for quick profit rather than for their own production use?” Sim asked.
He hoped that Chong will answer these questions as soon possible.
