Cabotage policy: Kong’s arrogance irks Jeffrey

Are Sabahans, who have suffered as a result of the implementation of the cabotage policy since 1980, so stupid as to have 'misunderstood' the policy?

KOTA KINABALU : Federal Transport Minister Kong Cho Ha has come under attack for alleging that Sabahans, who have been weighed down by cabotage policy since 1980, have ‘misread and misunderstood’ the whole concept of national policy which regulates shipment of goods between domestic ports.

State Reform Party (STAR) Sabah chairman Dr Jeffrey Kitingan said Kong’s arrogant denial was a contradiction to Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak’s view of the cabotage policy.

He took Kong to task for his statement that foreign ships were free to dock at any port in the state with no restrictions.

The cabotage policy stipulated that all foreign goods be transported within the country’s ports by Malaysian vessels only, once they arrived in Malaysia which is normally in Port Klang.

This has invariably contributed to the higher costs of goods in East Malaysia.

Various quarters in Sabah including the Federation of Sabah Manufacturers (FSM) had been calling for the scrapping of the policy, which was implemented in 1980.

Kong had reportedly said: “The government actually practices very liberal cabotage policy in the country… But people must understand what is cabotage policy, and when and where the ships can operate. There are misconceptions and mis-perception over the policy and issue.”

Kong’s dismissal of Sabah’s plea has touched a raw nerve here.

When did they cancel cabotage?
In a biting statement issued here today Kitingan slammed Kong, asking when the federal government had ‘cancelled’ the cabotage policy.

“Since when did the federal (government) cancel the cabotage policy? Please show us the special announcement that there is no more cabotage policy. Don’t just say it.

“Even the prime minister said “we are considering (on reviewing cabotage), but here a minister is saying there is no cabotage.

“(How can he) when this very cabotage policy has been strangling our economy in Sabah and Sarawak. Because of cabotage, cost of living is higher here, cost of transportation is higher and this has discouraged investors from coming to Sabah,” said Kitingan.

He said the as a result of the cabotage policy there was a delay cost which eats into profits, invariably forcing local business to raise prices, much higher than in the peninsular adversely affecting the poor.

“It also makes our goods not competitive for export,” said the maverick politician from Harvard University.

Kitingan also challenged Najib to put his “commitment to Malaysians” by implementing the 20-points in the Malaysia Agreement.

“If you (Najib) really mean what you said that you are committed to the future of Malaysia as reported, then please  implement the Malaysia Agreement, the 20 Points as the only way to save Malaysia is to respect the original concept of Malaysia and restore Sabah and Sarawak’s position as equal partners in the Federation.

“Furthermore, to save Malaysia will be to implement “one country, two systems” whereby a unitary system for the Malaya Federation and a federation system for Sabah, Sarawak and Malaya as equal partners,” he said.

He added that the Umno-led federal government had rescinded and blocked on many occasions the pledges to respect East Malaysia’s autonomy as granted in 1963.

The abolishment of the cabotage policy is one of the seven points in the Borneo Agenda that STAR and United Borneo Front (UBF) had seeked from a potential partner in the coming federal government.