Makers of the most popular 'mee kolok' consumed by the majority of Sarawak’s 2.6 million people are crying foul over the different treatment given to 'mee kolok' which is subjected to the goods and services tax (GST) while 'mee kuning' is considered as a zero-rated product.

The 'mee kolok' makers have been informed by customs officers that they are going to collect GST as it is not mentioned in the list of the gazette notification.

A bowl of 'mee kolok' costs between RM3 and RM5 in Sarawak.

The 'mee kolok' makers have approached Sarawak DAP chief Chong Chieng Jen ( centre in photo ) to raise the issue in Parliament as well as the Finance Ministry.

At a press conference this morning, Chong, who is the MP for Bandar Kuching and the State assemblyperson for Kota Sentosa confirmed that he had received complaints from several 'mee kolok' makers.

“They told me that the extra cost due to GST will be transferred to the consumers,” said Chong, pointing out that all noodles should be considered as zero-rated goods.

Sarawak consumers will be burdened

Sarawak consumers would bear the burden, and this is most unfair, he added.

“There should be no difference in treatment between 'mee kolok' and 'mee kuning'. After all the ingredients are the same, except that 'mee kolok' which is also yellow is alus (small) and 'mee kuning' is besar (big),” he said.

“As far as I know, there is no technical term as 'mee kuning'. Both should be exempted from GST,” he said, adding that this difference in treatment has caused a lot of confusion.

He said it showed that the left hand did not know what the right hand was doing and stressed that when the government announced that all noodles were to be excluded from GST, the government’s directive did not filter down to the Customs Department.

Another explanation why the different treatment was that the drafters of the gazette notification or directive were always West Malaysians who only knew about 'mee kuning' and did not know in Sarawak there was such a thing as 'mee kulok', he added.

Urging the government to give a fairer treatment, Chong said that 'mee kolok' was the staple food of Sarawakians as 'mee kuning' was to the people in West Malaysia.

He said that he had faxed a letter on March 29, 2015 to the second finance minister seeking clarification from the ministry.

In Parliament on Monday he had also personally handed the letter to the finance minister.

So far he has yet to receive any response from the Finance Ministry.

In the letter, Chong said the different treatment given to 'mee kulok' and 'mee kuning' is very arbitrary and without good grounds because both are noodles and yellow in colour.

The only difference, he pointed out, is that 'mee kolok' is only known and consumed in Sarawak.