Sabah traders need passports, seaman's books
Posted at 04/01/2013 10:00 PM | Updated as of 04/01/2013 10:01 PM
MANILA - Filipinos and other foreigners trading in Sabah and Labuan will have to show either passports or seaman's books, the Philippine embassy in Kuala Lumpur said Monday.
The new guidelines imposed by Malaysian authorities were relayed to the embassy through a note verbale.
"With effect from 15 April 2013, all crews of barter trade ships or vessels will be required to produce valid travel documents, i.e international passport or seaman book at all entry ports in Sabah. Seaman identification card (SIC) will no longer be issued to crews of barter trade ships or vessels without valid travel documentation," the Malaysian Foreign Ministry said.
"Effective from 2 April 2013, permanent Custom and Immigration Quarantine (CIQ) complexes will be operating at Ports of Kudat and Lahad Datu as well as an Immigration Control office at Karakit, Pulau Banggi where all immigration and customs procedures will be enforced at the said entry points," it said.
Consul General Medardo Macaraig urged Filipinos to follow Malaysian regulations.
"The embassy wishes to call the attention of all barter traders and other concerned parties to the new regulation, otherwise they may be significantly inconvenienced if they are found by Malaysian authorities to be in violation," Macaraig said.
Malaysia will also allow barter traders in Sabah and Labuan to stay in the areas for up to 7 days with no extension.
Barter traders are allowed to do business in 3 ports in Sabah - Sandakan, Tawau, Kudat.
A total of 18,388 barter traders were issued SICs last year.
Under Malaysian laws, ship captains who violate immigration regulations can be imprisoned for up to 5 years, fined RM50,000, or suffer 6 strokes of a cane.
Under Malaysia's new Immigration Act Anti-Trafficking in Person and Smuggling of Migrants, they can be imprisoned for 20 years or fined RM500,000.
The ship's crew can also be imprisoned, fined, and caned.
The DFA and other Philippine government agencies are discussing the issue with affected traders in Mindanao.
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