Ling
KOTA KINABALU: Stationery will cost 20 to 30 per cent more starting from the new academic year in 2014.
Stationary and Books Association of Sabah president Dr Ling Hie Sing said industry players were forced to readjust the prices of stationery products due to increasing costs from the implementation of the minimum wage policy starting next year and the Goods and Services Tax (GST).
Another contributing factor was escalating transportation costs, especially from China to Sabah, he said.
Ling said this yesterday after attending a meeting called by the Federation of Stationary and Books Association of Malaysia.
However, he urged industry players in Sabah to strive to keep their prices reasonable, such as retaining the original prices of old inventory.
On the other hand, Ling urged the government to open tender of stationery supplies for government offices to non-bumiputras.
At present, Ling said only bumiputra suppliers were allowed to submit their tenders to supply stationery to government offices.
By offering the tender opportunity to non-bumiputra suppliers, Ling said suppliers might be able to keep the price hike of stationeries at a lower level.
He also believed that doing so would enable the government to lower their costs of purchasing cheaper stationery.