Sabah People Hoping For "1Malaysia" Touch To Relax Cabotage Policy

By Newmond Tibin KOTA KINABALU (Sabah, Malaysia), April 30 (Bernama) -- When Deputy Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin proposed the setting up of a special Cabinet committee to look into Sabah's cabotage policy to leaders of various business organisations and chambers of commerce at a dinner last Friday, it received all round applause, including from the Federation of Sabah Manufacturers President, Wong Khen Tau. Wong, who assumed a pivotal role in pushing for the relaxation of the cabotage policy, has all along, been optimistic that the Federal government, under the leadership of Prime Minister Najib Razak, the architect of the 1Malaysia concept, will be able resolve one of the state's long-standing problem. Apparently, Wong and the people of Sabah want to see this problem solved as soon as possible and hoped for the 1Malaysia concept, which priortise the interest of the people, including Sabahans, to liberalise the cabotage policy. Many people are in the dark as to what is the cabotage policy. In fact, the policy refers to the shipment and carriage of goods and passengers (and the provision of services) between two ports in Malaysia to only Malaysian companies and Malaysian flag ships. This also refers to the reservation of domestic shipping trade (between Peninsular Malaysia and Sabah/ Sarawak and vice-versa) to Malaysian companies and Malaysian flag ships. Their predicament will be a thing of the past, thanks to the timely announcement by Muhyiddin, who assured that the problem would be raised and approval sought from the Prime Minister at this week's Cabinet meeting. The deputy prime minister stressed that the Federal government would not only look into the cabotage policy but also other issues related to the price disparity between Sabah and Peninsular Malaysia. What the people of Sabah want is for the present policy, which allows only Malaysian-flagged ships to transport locally-manufactured goods from the peninsula to Sabah, to be reviewed. They believe the liberalisation of the cabotage policy would surely reduce the cost of sea transportation, thereby lowering the prices of goods in Sabah. Wong had earlier suggested that foreign vessels be allowed to transport goods from the peninsula to Sabah, as when there is competition, the cost of transportation will become cheaper. He also said China, Australia and even the United States had a cabotage policy in place but industrial players were allowed alternative transportation by land. "In the case of Malaysia or Sabah for that matter, we don't have alternative transportation (by land from Peninsula to Sabah) unless we transport our cargo by aircraft which is not cost-effective. This unique position needs to be addressed and taken into consideration," Wong was quoted as saying recently. Industry players and political parties, including members of the state Barisan Nasional component parties, blame the 30-year-old cabotage policy for Sabah's high cost of living. They are in unison to seek a review or improvement to the cabotage policy, imposed in 1980 by the Federal government, in a bid to integrate all Malaysian maritime laws under the Ministry of Transport. -- BERNAMA