Barter trade comeback soon
KOTA KINABALU: The state cabinet has decided to revive the barter trade system to improve the state's trade relations with the Philippines and Indonesia.
Chief Minister Datuk Seri Shafie Apdal announced this after chairing of the cabinet yesterday.
"I have discussed this (the proposal) with the cabinet so that it can be prepared as soon as possible to enable us to revive the barter trade system.
"But (before we can do so), we need to install proper system. For instance, one of the systems that we need to install is the landing ports," Shafie told reporters.
The landing ports will be stationed in Kudat, Sandakan, Lahad Datu and Tawau.
Shafie, who is also Finance Minister disclosed that the State Cabinet would start working on the proposal within the next two or three weeks and that he would be making an announcement once the process had been completed.
When asked why the government had opted to revive the system, Shafie said it was due to financial losses, closure of shops and lack of job opportunities suffered by the state. He cited this based on a recent study.
Separately, commenting on the proposal to issue special documents for foreign workers, Shafie said the matter would be settled by a special committee (headed by the State Secretary and Immigration Department) within the next two weeks.
On Wednesday The Borneo Post reported that the state government wanted to issue the special documents to address the lack of manpower issue in the plantation sector.
When a reporter asked Shafie whether the state government would interfere in the RM9.3million saga between 1Borneo Hypermall and Sabah Electricity Sdn Bhd (SESB), Shafie said the former did not intend to intervene.
If the state government chooses to intervene, it might open up floodgates as other institutions may be seeking help from the government in the event they face the threat of power cuts.