LABUAN (Aug 2): Nine containers laden with sugar have been stranded at the Labuan containerised port of Labuan Liberty Wharf for the past one week.

The essential item weighing a total of 142.56 tonnes in the 10x20 footer containers was imported from Peninsular Malaysia to cater for local needs.

Labuan Ministry of Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs director Junaidah Arbain said the sugar was imported by three wholesalers, namely Sazarice Wholesaler Sdn Bhd with 71.28 tonnes, Chuan Huat Trading Co Sdn Bhd with 47.52 tonnes, and Kelasmahir Sdn Bhd with 23.76 tonnes.

“I have contacted the wholesalers, and I was made to understand there were unresolved issues between the wholesalers and their appointed agents to do clearance with the port operator.

“We hope they will be able to resolve the issues as soon as possible, so that we can resolve the shortage of sugar supply on this island,” she told Bernama on Tuesday (Aug 2).

Junaidah said the longer they (the wholesalers) let the sugar be stranded at the port, the more charges they would have to bear.

She said Labuan had been facing a shortage of sugar supply since late last year, with all supermarkets and hypermarkets having to put a purchase limit of one packet of sugar per customer.

“There were times these supermarkets and hypermarkets were running out of stocks,” she said.

Junaidah said the ministry had approved nine wholesalers here to import sugar from two main suppliers in Peninsular Malaysia, namely Central Sugars Refinery in Shah Alam, Selangor, and Malayan Sugar Refinery (MSM) in Perlis and Johor.

Junaidah said Labuan needs at least 120 tonnes of sugar every month for its estimated 110,000 population.