PH S’wak accuses SUPP, GPS of playing ‘two-face politics’ on Bumi-equity policy

In a joint statement, PH Sarawak accused SUPP and GPS of playing two-face politics on the Bumiputera equity ownership policy. — Malay Mail photo

KUCHING (Sept 29): Sarawak Pakatan Harapan (PH Sarawak) has accused Sarawak United People’s Party (SUPP) and Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) of playing ‘two-face politics’ on the issue of 51 per cent Bumiputera equity ownership requirement for freight forwarding companies.

It claimed that while second-liners and third-liner leaders of SUPP issued press statements opposing the implementation of such policy, the top leaders of GPS were supporting the government’s decision to proceed with the policy.

“Today, in Parliament, the Minister of Finance (Datuk Seri Tengku Zafrul Abdul Aziz), while replying to the question of (Seremban MP) Anthony Loke on this issue, he made it clear that the Perikatan Nasional (PN) government will only put the implementation of such policy on hold till 2022,” said PH Sarawak in a joint statement issued by its leaders yesterday.

The statement also explained that the policy of 51 per cent Bumiputera equity share was introduced back in 1990 and under the law, all freight forwarding companies shall require the Customs brokerage licence before they can carry out freight forwarding businesses.

Under the ‘51 per cent Bumi-equity’ policy, all freight forwarding companies formed after 1990 shall have Bumiputera equity of 51 per cent before the Customs could issue the company with licence. However, this ‘51 per cent Bumi-equity’ policy did not apply to companies formed before 1990. Listed companies and foreign companies are also exempted from this policy.

“That was the policy set down by the Barisan Nasional since 1990 and when Pakatan Harapan became government in 2018, there were attempts by some government officers to apply this policy to all freight forwarding companies, including those formed before 1990.

“Such attempt never saw the light of the day and was nipped at the bud by Lim Guan Eng who was then the nation’s Minister of Finance. As such, the industry players were not even aware that Lim had resolved the problem for them even before it became a problem,” said the statement.

PH Sarawak however claimed that when PN took over the government in 2020, similar attempts were made again, using the renewal of Customs brokerage licence as a leverage to implement the 51 per cent Bumi-equity policy.

“Tengku Zafrul as Finance Minister thus did not stop it nor did the PN cabinet and by the most recent answer provided by the Ministry of Finance, the government merely postponed its implementation till 2022.

“With such cabinet decision, it is thus most hypocritical of the SUPP to issue press statements opposing the implementation of the policy while, on the other hand, the GPS and SUPP being the government continued with the implementation of such policy.

“As for PH Sarawak, we hold the consistent stand that such 51 per cent Bumi-equity policy should not be implemented retrospectively to freight forwarding companies formed before 1990. Such policy is not good for the country and its economy and is most unfair and unconstitutional,” added the statement.

The joint statement by PH Sarawak was issued by PH Sarawak chairman Chong Chieng Jen (DAP), Parti Amanah Negara (Amanah) Sarawak chairman Abang Abdul Halil Abang Naili and Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) Sarawak deputy chairman Abang Zulkifli Abang Engkeh.

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