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KOTA KINABALU: Scrap metal dealers here are seeing red over the state’s move to appoint a sole agent to purchase scrap metal despite their objections. Their spokesman Callistus Wong said the appointment of Superpanel (Sabah) Sdn Bhd was a monopolistic move that would deprive them of their right to earn a living. Citing a similar move in Labuan, Wong said the dealers would be out of business if they were forced to sell their scrap metal to a sole agent at below market prices. The dealers said they were shocked by the announcement by the state Local Government and Housing Ministry permanent secretary Datuk Ujang Sulani at a recent meeting. In high demand: File photo of a scrap metal worker sorting out metal pieces at a yard in Johor Baru. They initially thought the meeting was a follow up to discussions with Assistant Local Government and Housing Minister Edward Yong Oui Fah last July about finding a solution to rampant metal theft. “Unfortunately, it turned out that the meeting was to introduce the sole agent without giving us a chance to present our case, including our proposals to resolve the issue,” Wong said. Present in the meeting were officials from the police, Customs Department, Telekom Malaysia Bhd, City Hall and Public Works Department. The dealers noted that, since early this year, the authorities had no longer renewed licences yearly but on a monthly basis. They dealers also have to sign an agreement with the sole agent and its subsidiary company. Besides this, they are required to pay RM20,000 to Superpanel on signing up and another RM12,000 as annual management fee to Winapeak, the sub-agent. The dealers argued that metal theft could be reduced through police cooperation with government departments and agencies and not by appointing a sole agent. Besides this, they noted that during the meeting on April 11, the police representative reported that incidents of metal theft had decreased since last year. They said that metal theft must not be used as an excuse to monopolise the RM350mil business until authorities exhaust all other avenues to tackle the problem. They hoped the state would consider their plight and reconsider the decision to appoint the sole agent.
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