KUALA LUMPUR – Datuk Seri Bung Moktar Radin (Kinabatangan-BN) is urging the federal government to return Labuan back to Sabah if Putrajaya is not able to return the territory to a fully duty-free zone.
Currently, Bung Moktar says, the only duty-free item in Labuan seems to be chocolates.
“People say the only duty-free item in Labuan are chocolates. Whatever else, the price is no different than the mainland,” Bung Moktar said in the Dewan Rakyat while debating the 12th Malaysia Plan (12MP).
He then urged the Federal Territories Ministry to visit Labuan and perform studies to return duty-free policies back to the territory which would benefit residents.
The Lamag assemblyman also pointed out that with prices of items rising in Labuan, it would not pull in people to spend money in the area and would stunt the territory’s growth.
“If the federal government does not implement anything, then return Labuan back to us,” Bung Moktar, who is also state deputy chief minister I, demanded.
Additionally, he observed that 12MP allocated RM400 billion for development programmes, and asked if the federal government would be willing to give the Sabah government autonomy over economic development.
He said if economic development was within the purview of the state government, perhaps Sabah could see itself being lifted out of poverty.
“I want to ask the federal government to change our approach to economic development according to states.
“Thus, for Sabah, with autonomy to manage economic development allocations, we can ensure the state is lifted out of poverty,” Bung Moktar explained.
On October 2, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Parliament and Law) Datuk Seri Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar said the government is looking to amend several critical provisions in the Malaysia Agreement 1963.
Wan Junaidi added that these amendments would be among his ministry’s top priorities to complete and process bills in Parliament within his 100-day target. – The Vibes, October 4, 2021
