Monday April 17, 2006
Customs Dept: Checks won’t delay shipment
By DERRICK VINESH
BUTTERWORTH: The Customs Department has assured that its recent move to inspect all containers for false declaration at sea ports and airports will not cause any shipment delay.
Director-general Datuk Abdul Rahman Abdul Hamid said the process of inspecting each container would only take a few minutes.
“Our main target are container trucks carrying goods with unpaid duties that were sent from the ports to either licensed public warehouses or other import stations and vice-versa.
“It does not involve trucks carrying imported goods with duties that are paid at the entry ports,” he said after visiting the North Butterworth Container Terminal (NBCT) here yesterday.
Abdul Rahman said the new ruling, effective on Saturday, allows Customs officers to break the seal of all containers with unpaid duties.
After the inspection, the officers would place the declaration forms inside the containers and re-seal them with the Customs seal.
“In this way, our officers will be able to inspect the goods inside the containers to ensure that they matched the description on the declaration forms.
“We have received complaints from importers, including those from India, Pakistan and Africa, that some of the goods they received from local exporters did not match the orders,” he said.
Abdul Rahman said the problem arose because in the previous practice, Customs officers only checked the declaration forms provided by the truck drivers and not inside the containers.
“Along the way, some of the consignments may have ended up elsewhere. That is why you can find goods imprinted with the ‘Malaysian Duty Not Paid’ stamp on them circulated in the open market locally,” he said.
On possible congestion at the NBCT following the ruling, Abdul Rahman said only 12% of the 10,000 containers that used the terminal monthly would be affected.
“So far, there has not been any congestion at the NBCT,” he said.
Penang Freight Forwarders Association (PFFA) president Joachim Loo said his 100-odd members welcomed the move by the Customs, adding that none of them had so far complained of delayed shipment.
News Poll
- Transsexual worries for safety after negative reactions to ‘marriage’
- Pol-sec said to have amassed wealth under probe
- Two managers killed in payroll grab
- DPP: Rape victim’s story consistent
- Hisham: Johor and Negri princes may settle case out of court
- Recognition for 700-year-old Batu Bersurat
- Government paid RM125mil to maintain cars, says Najib
- Fatine’s family pleading for him to come home
- Barisan reps stage walkout after Azhar ordered out
- Lodge reports with MACC, Hilmi tells Pakatan reps
- Transsexual worries for safety after negative reactions to ‘marriage’
- Two managers killed in payroll grab
- PTPTN loans – no more excuses for non-payment
- MIDA – shifting the nation into hi-technology
- DPP: Rape victim’s story consistent
- Pol-sec said to have amassed wealth under probe
- RM203,700 fine for not having direct sales licence
- Be ready to pay more for cuppa
- Malaysia first in region to adopt benchmark for educators
- Malaysians urged to be wary of second H1N1 outbreak
RSS
