The smuggling of goods into any country translates to billions in lost tax revenue for governments. For
instance, cigarette smuggling over the past years has caused the
Malaysian government RM1.2 billion annually, as statistics has
indicated that about 60% of the cigarettes consumed in Sabah and 40% in
Sarawak are contrabands. Combined, the amount is
quite staggering when other smuggled items are taken into consideration
such as vehicles, firecrackers, cell phones, drugs, firearms, timber
and so forth.
Smuggling
activities have been found to be more rampant in Sabah and Sarawak due
to the vast coastlines that are exposed, which makes enforcement
difficult. 72 smuggling routes, also known as
“rat lanes” or “lorong tikus” have been identified in the wide and
unfenced borders of Sarawak. A possible solution is to carry out air surveillance in addition to the land and sea patrols. Plans
for the use of helicopters and light planes in tightening the fight
against smuggling may be implemented by the Royal Malaysian Customs
(KDRM) under the Ninth Malaysia Plan (9MP).
Continued
bilateral meetings and joint efforts between Sabah and Sarawak with
neighboring countries like Brunei, Indonesia and Philippines would go a
long way to strengthen enforcement and minimize smuggling activities,
especially drugs, between these countries. It is
believed that drugs such as Syabu, Ecstacy (MDMA or methamphetamine)
pills and Ganja (Cannabis) are smuggled through Sabah into Sarawak and
on to Brunei from Peninsula Malaysia and Southern Philippines, while
timber is allegedly smuggled into Sarawak from Kalimantan, Indonesia.
Other
countermeasures against smuggling would encompass imposing 24-hour
anti-smuggling watch nationwide, setting up ocean elite squads trained
in shooting, diving and unarmed combat, establishing more Customs and
Immigration posts, organizing more information sessions, mounting
anti-smuggling campaigns, and rewarding informers of smuggling
activities. The successful fight on smuggling will in effect increase the tax revenue of the nation. KDRM collected nearly RM25 billion in taxes in 2005 as compared to about RM22 billion collected in 2004.
rsnews-03.06
