Tan Kai
KUCHING: Political secretary to the chief minister Tan Kai has once again reminded the federal Deputy Minister of Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Chong Chieng Jen to reveal the names of the seven companies currently holding the Approved Permit (AP) to import sugar.
So far, only a cake-making company has come forward to say that it holdd the permit.
In a statement released yesterday, Tan Kai said Chong had yet to reveal the names of the holders. He added that the deputy minister’s personal assistant only responded that the names of sugar AP holders could only be made known during the Parliament sitting.
“I have issued a statement on Oct 25 with regard to this. I thought the deputy minister would reveal it, as earlier statement issued by his assistant (stated) it only could be revealed during Parliamentary sitting. But until today, nothing has been revealed.
“The Sarawak State Legislative Assembly (DUN) sitting is now in session, and I would like to ask this again. Hopefully I could get a positive response from him (Chong). This is important to show that the government (does) observe and uphold transparency. The public can also help to monitor if prices of products involved really did go down. At the end, the general public will benefit,” he added.
On June 20, Chong announced that eight food and beverage (F&B) manufacturers would be able to obtain sugar from Thailand at RM1.70 per kilogramme, inclusive of transport charges.
A week later, Tan Kai challenged Chong to name the eight F&B manufacturers currently holding the AP to import sugar.
He said the names of the companies that were granted the permit should be made known to prove that the Pakatan Harapan (PH)-led government did not abuse the system.
On June 28, Padungan assemblyman Wong King Wei lodged a police report on behalf of Chong over allegations on social media about Chong receiving 30 per cent profits from the eight F&B manufacturers for the AP granted to them.