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Friday, May 30, 2008

Chua: Banning foreign cars from filling petrol within 30-50km from Malaysia borders is an illogical move/ 限制外国汽车添油非良策


文告
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马华前副总会长拿督斯里蔡细历医生促请政府考虑设施不同汽油价格,允许外国车辆继续在新山境内的油站自由添油。

他建议政府可考虑对外国车辆设定一个较高的油价,在这段期间允许他们如常自由添油,直到定夺新油价后再进行调整。

他强调,新山是柔佛州的经济心脏,加上政府正落力发展柔南经济特区,禁止外国汽车在新山边境30至50公里的油站添油是有欠合理,更不符合我国的外资友好政策。

他说,虽然贸消部表示这只是暂时性措施,但未说明会实施到什么时候。政府政策频频变动会让外资无所适从,也会直接影响外资对投资我国的信心和兴趣。

蔡细历对国内贸易及消费人事务部长拿督沙里尔指将在6月19日,将禁止入境南马的外国车辆在边境30至50公里内添油的措施,表示关注,在今日发表文告向政府反映他的担忧。

“新山是比较特别的经济区。它的经济收益主要来自新加坡人群。据了解,每天有约5万至10万名新加坡人进出新山,其中包括工作人士、商业人士和游客。周末、日则有8万至10万人自邻国到新山消费。”

他补充,在这5至10万人中,至少有10%是柔南的重要投资者。上述禁令不但限制外资的商业活动,也会让所有在新山境内消费的外国人感到不友善。

蔡细历强调,他同意外国人不应和我国人民共享国内的石油津贴,国人的消费权益应受维护。

“但站在经济的角度,我不希望政府的任何政策影响正在起飞的外来投资和旅游消费市场。”


Former Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr. Chua Soi Lek today commented on government’s decision to ban foreign cars from filling petrol within 30-50 kilometres of the Malaysian border with its southern neighbour.

He urged the government to reconsider the move and instead, set a different set of petrol price for foreign cars so that foreign cars can continue to have freedom to pump petrol in Johor Bahru.
Chua proposed that the government can consider implementing this plan until a new petrol price is determined.

Stressing that Johor Bahru is the centre of economic activities and adding to it is the Iskandar Development Region, he said that the decision by the government to ban foreign cars from pumping petrol within 30-50km from the border of Malaysia is illogical and doesn’t match our friendly foreign investment strategy.

“Johor is a special economic area. Its main economy income comes from Singaporeans. According to my understanding, there are about 50, 000 to 100, 000 Singaporeans traveled to and from Malaysia. Among them includes workers, businessman and tourists. When it comes to weekends, there will be about 80, 000 to 100, 000 Singaporeans who come to Johor Bahru to spend,” said Chua.

He added that in this 50, 000 to 100, 000 people, at least 10 percent of them are Johor’s important investors and the above said move will not only restrict foreign investment activities but will also make all foreigners who spend money in Johor Bahru feel unfriendly.

Chua further stressed that he agreed foreigners should not enjoy the same petrol subsidy as Malaysians and that Malaysians’ benefit and rights should be protected.

“However, if we see from the perspective of economy, I do not hope that any decision or strategy by the government will influence and affect foreign investment and tourism,” he said.

11 comments:

Anonymous said...

Finally, we have a minister who his best to solve a complicated problem. Dato Sharir is a prime minister material. Even though, in this case, he still without the benefit of a good adviser at his side. Maybe, Dr. Chua can communicate with him more to share your skills with him, this will improve the implementation of important national policy. I see the role of Dr. Chua as a senior national adviser to the government, at the ministerial level, of course. Why waste your valuable time and effort with a yesterday's leader likes Ong Ka Ting?

Pearls said...

I dont get it....

Singapore cars are required by Singapore law to be full tank when they leave Singapore, so, what is the issue with banning foreign cars i.e. Singapore cars in this case from filling petrol within 30-50km from Malaysia borders? I am sure a full tank can take these Singaporeans quite far.. out of this 30-50km thingy? NO??

Anything more than this 30-50km radius sanction, Singapore cars can pump petrol right? If so, these Singaporean cars are not going to break down and left abandon on Malaysian roads la... Haiyooo....

If you say Thailand cars.. than these Thais better come in full tank lor....

Anyhow, I do agree that perhaps a better or shall I say wise way to handle this issue would be to have a separate petrol price for foreign cars.

Peter Yew said...

Agreed absolutely. Foreigners come to Malaysia either on business or sightseeing or visit relatives. They spend money here which help our economy. They are not coming here to smuggle petrol back to sell. That the government must work at a different level to stop. For privately registered foreign vehicles there should not be any restrictions. Banning filling within 30-50 km from the borders only help businesses in towns outside of that zone.

Taurus Sitara said...

Dear Datuk Seri Chua,
I am wondering how Dato Shahrir Samad is going to convince the Royalties who owns at least 20petrol stations at the Johor-S'pore border,to shift the petrol stations to Simpang Renggam that's 58km from the border?You think you can do something about the Malaysians who are forced to buy S'pore cars (easier entry in2 S'pore for vehicles and need not pay SGD30 daily) or what about those with S'pore registered motorcycles?That's about 60THOUSAND S'PORE registered m/cycles owned by Malaysians working in S'pore!
So I hope Datuk keep the pressure on our Cabinet Ministers to do sensible things.Good day.

sosong said...

Dont ban them, just ask them to pay more for the petrol, e.g.ask them to buy a petrol coupon before allow them to pump petrol. petrol coupon (say RM12 for 15 litre coupon) can be sold in any post office, immig. office, police station, petrol kiosk, sundry shop etc can also allow small traders to hv some commission etc
Unuse coupon may be refund say less 5% charges etc.

Lysendar said...

Dear Dr. Chua,

Regarding this issue, it had been in my mind for long time already. I always ask myself, why Singaporeans are paying the same price as Malaysians as the subsidy are using the Malaysian tax money. It should benefit only all Malaysian but not outsiders.
However, when the government announced this policy, i find it doesn't make sense, and it is not logical. There are many ways of doing thing, why must they choice this? No other better way????? Why can we ask outsiders to pay a different price. Why don't we set a different price for them? That's Malaysian pay the price with subsidy, but outsiders pay the price without subsidy!! Do you know that the price of petrol in Singapore is about thriple the price of Malaysia. The price without subsidy, i think it will still cheaper than the price in Singapore.
If we ban foreign cars from filling petrol within 30-50km from Malaysia borders, it will definitely affect the tousism industry in JB. If this policy is only temperory, it will be even worse. So, Dr. please help to explain to them, may be they still can't see the whole picture. God Bless................

Stanley Yeo said...

蔡细厉医生,

我赞同你的说法,政府应该考虑设施不同的汽油价格供给国内与国外的人。但是设施这样的添油制度,必须要有一套有效率的自由添油制度。我在想假如大马人在新加坡或泰国工作,购买新加坡或泰国车辆,那么他们是否能在新山或北马边境添油呢?是不是只要有大马卡就能在这些地方添油了呢?因为政府说汽油津贴是共享给所有的大马子民。不过这样的措施也会演变成一种贪污和走私。还有真的要减低新加坡或泰国车辆在大马添油的话,政府应该在大马关卡检查所有的外国车辆是否他们的油缸里的汽油有超过 3/4 以上吗?假如没有就禁止他们进入大马,然后关卡会发出一张像添油Pass card 给他们,这张Pass Card,有车主的路进日期和车主的基本资料。因为 3/4以上的油已经足够在新山或大马边境一带游玩3到4天了,我想他们不是因为要打便宜的油才来大马旅游的吧。假如他们在大马时,因为没油了,他们就得要付出政府没有津贴的油价售卖给他们。当他们要添油时,车主需要出示他们的添油Pass Card给油站。这样油站就能知道他们是否能添油。

Unknown said...

IMHO, Price Differentiation should have been implemented long ago.

John Tham

Robert Teh said...

Soi Lek,

You are one of the few in MCA who use their brain to think before they speak.

But my advice, my good doc, is not to rejoin MCA leadership if the existing leadership heirarchy remains. Why play second fiddle to leaders who are only concerned about personal wealth and position of power?

Go back to MCA actively only if you can weild the power to change not only MCA but the entire BN. Otherwise consider joining PR - I'm sure they will appreciate your grey matter more than your current masters.

iamataxpayer said...

just charge RM200 per s'pore car whenever they come to Malaysia.

Solved.

NEIL said...

I say it would be better to set up a foreigner's pump where they are only allow to pump at that particular pump which the fuel is not subsided.I would't be suprise if the gov't say foreigner are not allow to buy food within 30-50 km.Flip-flop policies.

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