KUALA LUMPUR – In an outburst today, Kinabatangan MP Datuk Seri Bung Moktar Radin lambasted the lack of proper planning by the government when enacting a free trade zone, claiming that such locations are only selling chocolates and candies.
Speaking in the Dewan Rakyat during the debate on the Free Zones Act 1990, Bung Moktar cited the Federal Territory of Labuan as an example, claiming it has become a “dead town” as would-be shoppers found nothing of interest on the island.
“The location is labelled as a tax-free trade zone but when people visit, there is nothing there.
“Take Labuan as an example. Once upon a time, people from mainland Sabah would visit this free trade zone because there were a lot of things they could buy.
“Today, the only thing that is tax-free is just chocolates. There is nothing else there, like a barren wasteland as if it was attacked by garudas (gryphons).
“So I want to know what are the steps taken by the Finance Ministry to properly establish a free trade zone like those in Dubai, the UK and the US.
“There are a lot of things that can be purchased at a lower cost,” he said.
He continued his tirade and again asked what the government plans to do in free trade zones, including Labuan, instead of just offering tax-free “candy and chocolates.”
“Sometimes I think certain things that we do are a waste of time. We have to do it properly, not go all over the place.
“I don’t see how this would impact the overall economy,” he added. – The Vibes, August 3, 2022
