KOTA KINABALU: Sabah state government is considering a revival of barter trade with the Philippines and Indonesia as part of an effort to boost economic activities in the state.
Chief Minister Datuk Seri Mohd Shafie Apdal discussions have been held at the state cabinet level on the viability of reviving the barter trade soon.
“There is a need to formulate a system such as landing ports in Kudat, Sandakan, Lahad Datu and Tawau, as well as to determine the suitable goods to be included in the trade,” he said, after the state cabinet meeting today.
Shafie said he was looking at implementing the plan in two weeks, adding that subsidised items such as gas, cooking oil and other items should be excluded from the activity.
In 2016, the decade-old barter trade activity between the three states were suspended following series of kidnapping cases.
Shafie added that the decision to revive the barter trade came about due to the needs to increase job opportunities and improved economic activities in the border areas.
“Based on a study done by Universiti Malaysia Sabah, many people have suffered losses following the ban of the barter trade.
“(By having this trade) will ensure that people have jobs and income, which in turn will reduced chances of them being involved in unhealthy activities,” said Shafie, who is also the state Finance Minister.
Meanwhile, on another matter, he said a special committee, led by state secretary Tan Sri Sukarti Wakiman, would take between two to three weeks to work out details of the special documents for migrant plantation workers.
“This special document will also require the foreign workers to work only at certain designated workplace.” he said.
It was reported that the state government was planning to issue a special document for migrant workers in the plantation sector to help solve the shortage of labour in the sector in the state.
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