http://dapmalaysia.org  

Call on government to take immediate action against container hauliers for illegally implementing the fuel adjustment factor scheme to offset the fluctuation of diesel price. Press Statement by Chow Kon Yeow (Penang, Wednesday): The Commercial Vehicles Licencing Board (CVLB) should take immediate action against container hauliers for implementing the fuel adjustment factor scheme since October last year without the prior approval of the Board. These container hauliers are members of two associations namely: The Container Hauliers Association of Malaysia (CHAM) and Association of Malaysia Hauliers (AMH),  respectively headed by Mirzan Mahathir and Shalimin Shafie.   These container hauliers have imposed a fuel surcharge on importers, exporters and manufactures to overcome the diesel price increase.   However importers, exporters and manufacturers are crying foul because the fuel surcharge is illegal as the CVLB has not granted approval to the container hauliers to impose the surcharge.   The matter was raised in Parliament recently and Entrepreneurs and Cooperative Development Deputy Minister Dato Khamsiyah binti Yeop replied on 11 April 2005 that the CVLB had issued a directive to CHAM and AMH members to stop charging fuel surcharge.   Twenty container hauliers who refused to abide with the Board's order were asked to show cause for their actions.   However, it is found that container hauliers are still imposing the fuel surcharge, much to the chagrin of affected importers, exporters and manufacturers.   Clearly, these powerful and politically-connected CHAM and AMH members have not only acted against the government's directive not to increase their charges despite the current price hike in diesel, but had actually collected surcharge illegally since October last year.   The DAP therefore call on the government to take immediate action against container hauliers for illegally implementing the fuel surcharge, including revoking the licenses of these offenders and directing them to refund the illegally-imposed surcharge to importers, exporters and manufacturers. (11/5/2005) * Chow Kon Yeow, DAP National Vice Chairman and Member of Parliament for Tanjong