KOTA KINABALU: A total of 11 shipments of sugar, weighing 2,329 metric tonnes for domestic consumption have arrived in the last 10 days through the sea port here to bring relief to the shortage of supply experienced in west coast towns in the state.
Rosle A Hamid
The Sabah office of the Ministry of Domestic Trade, Cooperatives and Consumerism, disclosed here yesterday that another seven shipments of 1,369 tonnes of this essential item are due to arrive in early April.
Its deputy director Rosle A Hamid accompanied by a few officials from the ministry, made a visit to the trading depot and warehouse of CTS Marketing Co at Inanam yesterday to inspect progress of the supply situation.
Rosle told The Borneo Post during the visit that although the measures taken by the ministry to improve the sugar shortage situation were slowly taking effect, the central problem remains in transportation.
He said there had still be cases of delay in arrival of ships that are loaded with sugar consignments for the west coast dealers, totally seven in all, including CTS Marketing Co.
At least three of the 14 ships with such cargoes were delayed ranging from five days to two weeks.
There was one that was held up at Bintulu port due to heavy rain there that prevented the unloading of cargo within the scheduled time.
“At the moment, the central problem in the supply of sugar from factories in the peninsula is transportation, for the time being,” he said.
The three suppliers of refined sugar there are: Malayan Sugar Manufac-turing (MSM), Central Sugar Refinery Sdn Bhd and Padang Terap Sdn Bhd.
However, Rosle said the ministry was confident that the supply situation would improve, adding, “We are hopeful that starting from April, the market condition of supply and demand will be stable.”
He said he was confident that the various measures agreed by representatives of sugar refineries and dealers in Sabah in mid-March aimed at bringing an end to the sugar shortage problem in Sabah, “will prove to be effective”.
At that meeting, sugar refining plants agreed to increase supplies to local dealers, seven for the west coast and the interior, four for Sandakan and another three for Tawau, all in the position to import direct from the refineries.
Liew Syn Fah, the marketing officer of CTS, confirmed yesterday that the sugar refinery plants in the Peninsular have indeed increased their supplies.
He thanked the Domestic Trade Ministry for its efforts in getting all parties concerned to reach agreements and come up with the measures to resolve the sugar supply problem.
He said for the month of March, CTS had been able to get a supply of 1,000 tonnes of refined sugar, giving the company sufficient stocks to meet demands from traders in towns such as Tuaran, Kota Marudu, Kota Belud, and Kudat.
CTS also supplies sugar to Papar, Beaufort, Kundasang, Ranau and Lawas in Sarawak as well where it has a branch known as CTS Trading.
The other dealers in the state capital, also serving the west coast region, are: Syarikat Kiat Hong, Syarikat Tong Hing, Sazarice, Syarikat Ta Kiong, Hiap Fong Sdn Bhd and Joo Loong Sdn Bhd.
Sandakan sugar dealers are, Kong Dar Hong, Chung Kwong, Kwong Yick Loong, and UKTRACO; whilst those in Tawau are, Joo Loong Trading Sdn Bhd, Tawau General Supplies Sdn Bhd and Syarikat Kong Dar Hong Bersaudara.
In the past when shortages were experienced, the refineries used to supply less than what was ordered.
Supplies have now increased, the Domestic Trade officials confirmed yesterday during their spot check to one of the west coast sugar dealers.