Our sugar being sold to neighbouring countries??? YAU MOU GAU....CHOR!!

PORT KLANG: Sugar traders are impervious to the sugar shortage currently hurting some Malaysian states.

Most of the unscrupulous traders are selling the “sweet commodity” to neighbouring countries where a much higher profit margin could be gained.

Sugar is sold at RM1.30 a kg in Malaysia and retails at RM1.80 to RM1.90 a kg in Thailand, Indonesia and the Philippines.

Selangor Customs director Datuk Mohamed Khalid Yusof said he believed sugar traders were cashing in on the price difference.

“Selling of sugar is legal if the traders have permits. It is a lucrative business owing to the price difference. We will scrutinise all documents pertaining to this commodity to ensure the traders do not smuggle out sugar to increase their profit margin,” he said.

He added that the Customs Enforcement Patrol Unit was keeping a vigilant eye along the Selangor coast, especially on barter trade boats.

“Our men are using the loop method, where the barter boats plying our waters would have to pass our patrol boats. It is a good surveillance tactic ,and has worked well in nabbing smugglers,” he said.

Yesterday, the Customs Department here detained an Indonesian barter trade boat – KM Tuah Bersama – and seized 50,000kg of sugar.

“Our men detained the boat after the skipper failed to produce an export permit. At this moment the boat is being held at the Port Klang jetty with the 1,000 bags of sugar. Investigations are ongoing to find out if there is a permit as the Indonesian skipper is unsure of its existence,” he said.

It is learnt that the boat was supposed to unload the sugar at Tanjung Balai Asahan in Indonesia.

On the boat are a 12-man crew, all of whom have been barred from leaving the boat.

Khalid said under the Customs Act 1967 Section 135(1)(e), the penalty for smuggling is RM50,000 or 20 times the value of the goods, or a jail sentence of three years, or both.