By Nur Ashikin Louis
KUCHING, Sept 24: The Associated Chinese Chambers of Commerce and Industry of Sarawak (ACCCIS) calls on the Sarawak government to abolish the 5 per cent State sales tax (SST) on imported tyres.
Its president Dato Tan Jit Kee said this was among three matters that the Chamber wish to bring up as input for the upcoming State Budget.
The proposal letter will be submitted to the State government today.
“Previously, the businessmen from the tyre industry have approached the Chamber to deal with the SST on imported tyres. So when we presented the appeal to the Chief Minister (Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg), he kindly agreed to reduce (SST) from 5 per cent to 2.5 per cent.
“But now we want this (collection of SST) to be abolished totally so that there will be no SST on imported tyres,” he said in a virtual press conference via Zoom today.
Tan said the Chamber also wish to appeal to the chief minister to instruct the Kuching Port Authority (KPA) to stop imposing channel maintenance fee on the importers and port users.
“Because of the ongoing federal project to clear the channel that allows vessels to come in, it defies the logic to allow KPA to charge channel maintenance fee even before the completion of the dredging works,” he said.
He added that the Chamber also wished to appeal to the State government to provide funding for KPA to procure new terminal crane equipment so that the delivery service of containers could improve for the benefit of the consignees and importers.
“Earlier this year, due to the computer outage at KPA, there was a congestion causing the delay of handling of cargo containers at Senari Port in Kuching. Following that, the shipping companies charged importers and consigners for port congestion surcharge. We deem that it was unfair because it was beyond the control of the importers and consignees,” he said. – DayakDaily
