Govt should enact Economic Sabotage Act, says Samenta

 

Samenta president William Ng said the Economic Sabotage Act would prevent actions by individuals, including politicians, that could cause lasting damage to the economy.

PETALING JAYA: The Small and Medium Enterprises Association (Samenta) has called on the government to enact an Economic Sabotage Act to curb actions by individuals and groups, including politicians, that cause permanent damage to the economy.

Samenta president William Ng said the Act was initially suggested in 2018 by the National Centre for Governance, Integrity, and Anti-Corruption to prevent abuses of government contracts and the “Ali Baba” practice.

“Following a change in government and the Covid-19 pandemic, the proposed Act was never tabled,” he said in a statement.

Given the recent rise in arson attacks and organised boycotts on private businesses, Ng said the Act would criminalise actions that promote or encourage sabotage on businesses.

“The Act should carry severe custodial penalties to commensurate with the long-term repercussions of such actions on our economy and the livelihood of Malaysians,” he said.

Ng said current laws failed to address organised boycotts or penalise those who encouraged them.

“It allows perpetrators, including politicians, to act with impunity, damaging businesses, causing job losses, and tarnishing Malaysia’s reputation as a trading nation and investment destination,” he said, adding that this must be rectified.

Ng said the Act would criminalise activities such as the resale and monopolisation of government contracts, as well as manipulation of prices by cartels. This, he said, would encourage fair competition, expand consumer choice, as well as reduce business and living costs for Malaysians.

Although Ng did not specify the private businesses affected by recent boycotts and arson attacks, KK Mart has been mired in controversy since March 13 after socks with the word “Allah” were discovered at its Bandar Sunway outlet.

This sparked calls from Umno Youth for a nationwide boycott of the convenience store chain.

Yesterday, a third KK Mart outlet in Kuching was attacked with a petrol bomb. The first two attacks were carried out against KK Mart outlets in Bidor, Perak, and Kuantan, Pahang, last week.

The petrol bomb thrown at the shop in Bidor on March 26 failed to explode, while the attack in Kuantan on March 29 set several items on fire but the flames were promptly put out by KK Mart workers.

KK Mart’s founder and a director have since been charged with intentionally wounding the religious feelings of Muslims by selling the socks, while three officers of the vendor, Xin Jian Chang Sdn Bhd, were charged with abetment. All claimed trial. - FMT