RM67 mln allocated to subsidise transport of essential goods to Sabah, Sarawak

File photo for illustration purposes. Photo credit: Pixabay

By DayakDaily Team

KUCHING, March 5: The Federal government has allocated RM67 million this year to subsidise the transportation of essential goods to Sabah and Sarawak under the ‘port-to-port’ price standardisation programme, according to a report by TVS.

Deputy Minister of Domestic Trade and Cost of Living Datuk Dr Fuziah Salleh said the allocation is meant to offset shipping costs of basic necessities from Peninsular Malaysia to major ports in both States.

“Through this port-to-port initiative, the government provides subsidies based on the weight of goods, such as sugar, transported from Port Klang to ports in Sabah and Sarawak,” she told the Dewan Negara today.

She was responding to a question from Senator Abun Sui Anyit, who asked what measures were being taken to control prices, supply chains and transportation costs of essential goods to rural and interior areas.

Fuziah also disclosed that RM250 million has been allocated this year for the distribution of basic necessities to remote regions.

To date, 1,570 rural locations have been identified as requiring designated ‘points of sale’, with 1,480 of them located in Sabah and Sarawak.

“For example, in Baram, Sarawak alone, there are 142 points of sale involved in this programme,” she said.

She added that the funds are channelled to transport companies appointed through a tender process to deliver essential goods to interior areas up to the identified sales centres.

Meanwhile, Fuziah said the Ministry of Domestic Trade and Cost of Living (KPDN) has completed a price stability study confirming that geographical factors, infrastructure and logistics remain the main challenges in controlling prices in Sabah and Sarawak.

She noted that a technical working group on price stabilisation has also been established, involving the Federal government, State governments and industry players to explore additional measures to ensure long-term price stability. — DayakDaily