BY : ADRIAN NANDU.
LABUAN: A committee member
of Labuan Corporation Advisory Council, Peter Mak, said yesterday that since
the introduction of the 50 percent discount on ferry fares since early January,
the impact on the prices of goods here has been minimal.
He found out some of the
prices of goods here had remained the same while others were found to have
increased especially at some of the eateries here.
Peter said this could be
because businesses increased the prices of goods and services, claiming that
they need to offset increased labour costs following the implementation of the
minimum wage of RM800.
“It is an unfounded claim as
their cost of transportation had gone down by virtue of the government’s
subsidy.
“Therefore, they are obliged
to reduce the prices of their products. The shopkeepers are not passing the
benefits of the subsidy to the people which they should do starting now,” he
said.
Peter said the relevant
authorities should look into this issue seriously and take appropriate measures
to ensure that the government’s initiative and effort will benefit the people.
“With the benefits reaching
the people, it would be good in terms of the development of Labuan in the long
run.
“More people from outside
the island will come here and it would be significant for this island’s
sustainability,” he said.
On the claims by certain
quarters that the 50 percent subsidy should be stopped as it only benefited the
lorry operators transporting the goods to Labuan, Peter replied the matter must
be reviewed carefully.
Peter said there must be a
mechanism to ensure that the benefits reach the people because once the subsidy
is stopped, the shopkeepers would use it as an excuse to further increase the
prices of their goods.
“The subsidy is useful and
what we need now is strict monitoring and a mechanism to ensure that the
subsidy is implemented properly,” he said, adding that the shopkeepers must
also do their part.
Peter said that
non-governmental organisations and the chambers of commerce here could also
play their role to urge the business community here not to take advantage of
the government’s initiative. (BP)
Rakyat Malaysia yang menggunakan perkhidmatan feri dan bot laju termasuk kenderaan komersial dari Labuan ke Menumbok, Sipatang, Limbang dan Lawas di Sarawak dan sebaliknya hanya perlu membayar tambang separuh daripada harga yang ditawarkan sebelum ini berkuatkuasa 1 Januari 2013.
ReplyDeleteMenurut satu kenyataan media yang dikeluarkan oleh Bahagian Perhubungan Awam, Perbadanan Labuan separuh lagi harga tambang akan dibayar oleh Kerajaan Persekutuan kepada pengusaha feri, bot laju dan kenderaan komersial berdasarkan senarai nama yang disahkan oleh pegawai kerajaan yang dilantik di destinasi yang berkaitan.
Pengusaha feri, bot laju dan kenderaan komersial boleh membuat tuntutan di kaunter Terminal Feri Antarabangsa Labuan yang akan dilaksanakan oleh anak syarikat Perbadanan Labuan, LDH (Labuan) Sdn. Bhd) bermula daripada tarikh itu.
Menurut kenyataan itu, Pemberian subsidi tambang ini adalah lanjutan pembentangan bajet 2013 yang telah diumumkan oleh YAB Perdana Menteri. Pemberian subsidi tambang ini adalah meliputi destinasi perjalanan seperti berikut
Bagaimanapun, bagi kenderaan komersial, kerajaan telah menetapkan hanya mereka yang berdaftar dengan Lembaga Perlesenan Kenderaan Perdagangan (LPKP) layak untuk membuat tuntutan subsidi tambang 50% yang menggunakan perkhidmatan feri kenderaan dari Menumbok ke Labuan atau sebaliknya.
Kenyataan itu turut menjelaskan, pemberian subsidi tambang diskaun sebanyak 50 peratus itu adalah bertujuan mengurangkan kos perjalanan pengangkutan laut yang ditanggung oleh rakyat Malaysia ke destinasi yang menghubungkan Labuan dengan Tanah Besar Sabah dan Sarawak.
Manakala pemberian subsidi tambang bagi kenderaan komersial bertujuan untuk mengurangkan harga barangan dan bahan binaan yang di bawa masuk ke Wilayah Persekutuan Labuan melalui tanah besar Sabah termasuk juga dari Sarawak.
The government has allocated RM17 million this year to subsidize sea transportation except private vehicles to travel to and from Labuan. Labuan Domestic Trade, Consumerism, Co-operatives Ministry (KPDNKK) deputy director Aslani Dabi was commenting on complaints that KPDNKK was not doing their job to help reduce the prices of goods here by saying that the jurisdiction of the office was limited to control the price of only five items, namely sugar, cooking oil, flour, rice and liquefied petroleum gas, including diesel and RON 95 petrol.
ReplyDelete“Most of the prices here, including at eateries, are controlled by supply and demand market forces. However, if you find a restaurant charging unreasonable price for their food you can lodge a complaint with us for further action.
ReplyDelete“Now we are focusing to enhance awareness among the consumers by doing educational programmes. Awareness and education are powerful tools to empower the consumers.
“The government has also introduced 1Malaysia People’s Menu (MR1M) where you can enjoy breakfast at RM2.50 and lunch at RM5. There are around 21 restaurants here that have joined the programme,” he said.
ReplyDeleteKerajaan sentiasa mengutamakan rakyat dengan bantuan yang wajar disalurkan.
DeleteAslani advised the public to visit the KPDNKK website or come directly to Labuan office to lodge their report should they encounter any kind of manipulation from traders or any problem related with their rights as consumers. Meanwhile, he disclosed that many other factors contributed to the higher cost of products here such as property rentals which were much higher than in Kota Kinabalu and at other places.
ReplyDeleteAnother factor was the purchasing power of those working in the oil and gas sector who were willing to pay for products at higher prices.
Kerajaan telah memperuntukkan sebanyak RM17 juta setahun untuk membayar subsidi kepada pengusaha feri dan pengusaha kenderaan komersial dengan harapan kenaikan harga barang di Labuan dapat diturunkan.
ReplyDeleteSubsidy yang tidak terkawal akan membebankan rakyat.
DeleteTimbalan Perdana Menteri, Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin berkata, kerajaan melaksanakan tiga langkah untuk membantu mengurangkan beban rakyat iaitu mengawal harga barangan, subsidi dan pemberian Bantuan Rakyat 1Malaysia (BR1M).
ReplyDeleteBeliau berkata, pemberian BR1M itu ialah cadangan Perdana Menteri, Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak selepas mendapat maklum balas daripada orang ramai melalui program turun padang.
ReplyDelete"Kerajaan sentiasa berusaha membantu rakyat supaya rakyat tidak susah.
Program yang dilaksanakan oleh kerajaan bertujuan untuk rakyat.
Delete"Kerajaan bantu rakyat melalui kawal harga, selepas itu, subsidi dan ditambah lagi dengan BR1M," katanya.
ReplyDeleteMuhyiddin berkata, kerajaan juga sedang mempertimbang untuk mengurangkan peruntukan subsidi bagi barangan tertentu yang didapati tidak penting dan memulangkan wang itu semula kepada rakyat.
ReplyDeleteKabotaj harus dimansuhkan.
Delete"Kita kurangkan sedikit subsidi, kerana gula itu masalah. Harga gula kita murah berbanding di Thailand yang mahal, jadi gula kita pergi ke Thailand.
ReplyDelete"Oleh kerana di Malaysia harga gula murah, orang banyak makan gula, jadi di Malaysia banyak orang sakit.
"Kita beri juga subsidi, mungkin boleh kurangkan sedikit, dan wang itu kita beri balik macam BR1M," katanya.
Kerajaan telah mengadakan pelbagai polisi dalam usaha mensejahterakan rakyat di negara ini termasuk polisi kawalan harga barangan yang telah memanfaatkan rakyat terutama di musim perayaan.
ReplyDeleteHarga barangan harus diseragamkan.
DeleteTimbalan Perdana Menteri Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin berkata polisi kawalanharga pada beberapa barangan seminggu sebelum dan selepas sesuatu perayaan itu telah menjimatkan duit rakyat sehingga RM300 juta.
ReplyDelete“Itu musim perayaan, tetapi untuk musim bukan perayaan, juga tidak dilakukan banyak negara, kita kawal harga barang-barang penting.
ReplyDelete“Contohnya minyak, sepatutnya kita tidak boleh kawal harga, Shell atauEsso, dia boleh (cadang) tetapkan harga tetapi kerajaan tentukan harga sebenar .Kalau dia naik (harga minyak), dia boleh didenda di bawah Akta Petroleum,” katanya.
Muhyiddin berkata dalam sistem ekonomi terbuka atau bebas seperti yang digunakan banyak negara seperti Malaysia, kerajaan tidak boleh kawal harga kerana ianya akan ditentang oleh para peniaga, dan dianggap sebagai perkara yangtidak adil.
ReplyDeleteMuhyiddin berharap rakyat tidak terpengaruh dengan agenda pembangkang yang mendakwa kerajaan tidak mengambil apa-apa langkah untuk mengawal harga barangan dan mengurangkan perbelanjaan kos harian rakyat.
ReplyDeletepastikan harga barangan tidak meningkat, beri perhatian pada kepentngan rakyat.
ReplyDelete