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Wee (third from right) hands out face masks to Mohamad Faizal for JPJ Sibu staff. – Photograph by Peter Boon
SIBU (September 17): Transportation Minister Datuk Seri Dr. Wee Ka Siong assured Sarawak residents today that they will continue to enjoy the existing motor vehicle traffic tax rates as there are no plans to standardize them with the highest rates on the Malaysian peninsula.
He said that a different road tax structure was put in place in Sarawak due to local conditions and that people had no reason to worry that the federal government would raise current rates.
“We charge differently compared to other states on the Malaysian peninsula. So for Sarawak, we charge a relatively low road tax, ”Wee told reporters after his working visit to the Sibu Department of Road Transport (JPJ) today.
In this regard, the minister warned that he does not want this structure to be abused by people from the Peninsula.
“So, we don’t want anyone from the Peninsula to only abuse it. It happened in the past, (where) someone drove a Porsche and used it in Peninsula but registered here (Sarawak). It is my duty to make sure to stop all this nonsense.
“While you are in Sarawak, you will enjoy what you need; I mean, this is your privilege, but don’t take it for granted – you registered your car in Sarawak and used it at Peninsula. It is grossly unfair.
“For example, here I probably pay a couple thousand (from Ringgit) but in Peninsula, for Porsche, some of them have to pay RM50,000. So at least about 10 folds. So they have to pay, ”he said.
At the request of the Sibu people for a direct Sibu-Singapore flight, Wee said the viability of the route should be assessed.
Before the Covid-19 pandemic, he noted that there were some routes served by airlines, but they eventually had to be removed due to a lack of passengers.
“The most important thing is whether it is viable. There were some routes that flew (the airlines), they finally stopped due to the load factor.
“If you don’t have a sufficient number of passengers, they will stop (service those routes) after that. It is a business decision if you want to do it. I mean (the situation) before Covid-19, ”he said.
Also present were Repok Assemblyman Datuk Seri Huang Tiong Sii, JPJ State Director Mohd Syafiq Anas Abdullah, and his Sibu boss, Mohamad Faizal.
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