Press Statement by Jimmy Wong in Sabah on
Thursday, 18th December 2008:
I’m not being mischievous,
misguided
Sri Tanjung Assemblyman Jimmy Wong
said he is not being mischievous and misguided over the oil palm issue
affecting smallholders.
He said it is State Finance Ministry Permanent Secretary Datuk Yusoff
Kassim who was misguided and do not understand what is going on.
“Yusoff said the Government had highlighted in the recent State Assembly
Budget 2009 sitting that the 7.5% Sabah Sales Tax was imposed on Crude
Palm Oil (CPO) only and this means the sale of Fresh Fruit Bunch (FFB)
was not affected. Ask the planters who produce FFB and they will tell
you Yusoff is totally wrong. The sale tax does affects planters income
because its deducted in their sale receipt,” he said.
“If really the state CPO sales tax is being paid by millers or CPO
producers, today I can guarantee all the millers would have stop
operating or close shop,” he said.
He said the special committee formed by the state government should
immediately check or call the millers and ask them if what he (Jimmy)
said is true and if the committee cannot do this then the committee is
for what.
“The State government should ask CPO producers (millers) to make a stand
and my challenge to the Chief Minister Datuk Seri Musa Haji Aman to
prove me wrong is still on,” he said.
Jimmy added that by stating that he (Jimmy) is mischievous, then Yusoff
also mean the planters are also being mischievous as they had handed a
memo to the State government regarding the CPO sales tax.
“I would also like to inform the State government that Sarawak had
already waived their CPO sales tax to help their oil palm industry to
overcome the economic crisis. Here is Sabah the government says it is
doing everything to help the oil palm sectors but at the same time
reluctant to review the Sabah sale tax on CPO. This 7.5% Sabah sale tax
will be the killing point on the planters and millers,” he pointed out.
* Jimmy Wong Sze Phin, DAP State Assemblyman for Sri
Tanjong
http://dapmalaysia.org