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Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg – Stock Photo
LAWAS (September 29): Sarawak called on Putrajaya to seek intergovernmental agreements with Brunei on the implementation of entry and exit charges at land border checkpoints, Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg said.
Abang Johari said it will leave it up to the federal government to consider Malaysia’s proposals to Brunei on government-to-government agreements that can help ease the burden on affected Sarawakians, particularly those from Miri, Limbang and Lawas.
“I leave it to Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Hishamuddin Hussein, and Chief Minister Dato Seri Fadillah Yusof, and Deputy Minister of Public Works, Hasbi Habibolah, are engaging their counterparts,” he told reporters in Lawas today.
Abang Johari said that until now, the matter is still in the negotiation stage, adding that Sarawak respects sovereign rights and the decision of the Brunei Darussalam government in imposing this rule.
When asked if the Malaysian government is considering subsidizing it for affected Sarawakians, he said that the decision is Putrajaya’s.
Senior Deputy Minister Datuk Amar Awang Tengah Ali Hasan wrote a letter to the Brunei government in July requesting the postponement of the implementation of entry and exit fees at land border checkpoints.
Following a written request from Awang Tengah, Brunei Darussalam had postponed the implementation of entry and exit fees at land border checkpoints until 1 October.
The implementation of the entry and existence charges was supposed to be implemented on August 1 following the announcement by the Brunei Darussalam Ministry of Finance and Economy on July 9 that the charges would be imposed under the (Entry Charges Order and exit 2020) that grants the Controller of the Royal Department of Customs and Special Taxes has the power to do so.
The application of these charges was intended to standardize the payments and charges that had been imposed on the public entering or leaving Brunei Darussalam by air or sea.
A person traveling from Lawas to Miri by land will have to pay twice and this will be a burden for families traveling for social visits in case of emergency.
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