Chong Chieng Jen
KUCHING: Deputy Minister of Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Chong Chieng Jen has refuted allegations today that Putrajaya’s recent decision to issue sugar import licences (AP) to eight food and beverage manufacturers (F&B) in companies in Sarawak will benefit him and his alleged “cronies” in DAP.
The deputy minister of domestic trade, consumer affairs and cooperatives asserted that the new liberalisation policy was introduced by the Pakatan Harapan (PH) government to counter the previous monopolistic policy under Barisan Nasional.
In a statement, Chong, who is the state chairman for PH and DAP, said any Sarawak-based F&B manufacturer could apply for the sugar AP so long as they genuinely require sugar in their production, and the sugar imported must only be for their own production and not for resale.
He said so far, one F&B manufacturer had applied earlier last year and received the AP late last year.
Eight more F&B manufacturers have subsequently applied and received their respective APs in June this year.
“It is open to any F&B manufacturers to write in to the ministry to apply. There are no restrictions or closing date for such applications, except that the sugar imported must be for the applicants’ own-use.
“Therefore, if SUPP thinks that those who have been issued with APs are my cronies, then the whole F & B sectors in Sarawak will and can be my cronies,” Chong asserted.
Chong, however, did not name the company which had been awarded the AP and who the other applicants were.
Yesterday, Tan Kai, a political secretary to the chief minister, challenged Chong Chieng Jen to name the eight F&B manufacturers granted the sugar import APs.
He said in addition to identifying the companies, Chong should also inform how the ministry arrived at a decision to grant the APs to those companies.
Chong today also pointed out that the APs were directly issued to the manufacturers, without any middleman transaction or “rent-seeking alibaba” which he claimed was the hallmark of the previous BN administration.
“The successful applicants also do not need to pay me anything,” he said.
With the success in the implementation of the partial liberalisation sugar policy in Sarawak, Chong said the ministry was aiming at implementing the same in Sabah.
“So far, the whole F&B industry is happy with this liberalisation policy because it has reduced their costs of production tremendously, a saving of approximately RM1,000 per ton and it involves hundreds and some even a few thousand tons of sugar each manufacturer.”
He added that the only parties unhappy with the new policy were MSM Malaysia Holdings Bhd (MSM) and Central Sugar Refinery Sdn Bhd (CSR), who had enjoyed the exclusive rights of supply of sugar for the whole country.