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A rather ‘taxing’ glitch BorneoPost Online | Borneo , Malaysia, Sarawak Daily News » Brunei - New 2 Borneo

A rather ‘taxing’ glitch

Posted: 23 Dec 2013 10:45 PM PST

BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN: A glitch has hit the online e-Customs platform of the Royal Customs and Excise Department (RCED), causing delays in customs clearance as the import applications pile up, Borneo Bulletin reported.

A number of traders, particularly importers, claimed that the "intermittent connection" problem affecting e-Customs was a rather "taxing" issue which was costing them time and money with some complaining that they were having "sleepless nights".

One importer told the Bulletin that, "It has been a difficult situation. We cannot get our cargo to arrive at our local destination on schedule while (we are) incurring storage costs along the way due to the delay in customs processing".

Traders hoped that the "hiccup" in customs clearance will be sorted out as soon as possible.

A spokesperson from the RCED told the Bulletin that the department was aware of the customs clearance delay and was doing its best "within the law and current procedures" to sort the issue out.

RCED told the Bulletin that traders and importers of perishable goods should contact the department to apply for urgent processing of their applications.

A delay in customs clearance can cause problems, one importer explained – as time is of the essence in their business.

Merchant ships usually give traders or importers a certain period, for example 48 hours, to clear their cargo from the ship before the ship returns to the sea.

Merchants or importers have to wait for customs clearance before the consignment can continue to its local destination.

However, the delay in customs clearance means that the merchandise needs to be put in proper storage according to the type of goods which then incurs extra fees.

One importer claimed that the "slowdown" in e-Customs clearance was costing him thousands of dollars in lost revenues.

He alleged that the problem has been around for months.

A trader told the Bulletin that it was possible to increase the price of the goods to absorb the extra costs but such a move would raise the price for the buyers.

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Rise in road fatalities cause for concern

Posted: 22 Dec 2013 11:55 PM PST

BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN: The number of fatalities in road accidents from January to November this year has reached 31, which is a 15 per cent increase compared to the same period last year when it stood at 27, Borneo Bulletin reported.

The first 11-month figure of road fatalities has already surpassed last year's total number of deaths on the road which stood at 28.

Between December 1 and 21, 2013, another fatal accident has been recorded pushing the total to 32 fatalities on Brunei's roads so far this year.

Statistics of the worrying rise in road fatalities were provided by the Traffic Control and Investigation Department of the Royal Brunei Police Force.

The January to November statistics reveal that most of the victims of the accidents were youths, whereby 10 of them were between the age of 19 and 28 years while four were between 29 and 38 years. There were also two victims aged between 10 and 18 years and two children aged between one and nine years.

Of the 31 fatal cases, 16 were drivers while seven were passengers.

This year has also recorded a high of five motorcycle riders who have lost their lives on the road compared to just one last year. The numbers also include a cyclist and a passenger of a heavy vehicle.

A staggering 3,077 accidents were reported to the police from January to November 2013 compared to 3,056 cases during the same period last year. From January to November, a total of 59 serious injuries were recorded in accidents, while 363 individuals sustained minor injuries.

The police have found three major factors that have attributed to the causes of accidents in the country – 85 to 95 per cent of accidents are caused by negligence and mistake of the drivers themselves whereby majority of the accidents are caused by over speeding, using mobile phones while driving, falling asleep at the wheel, losing focus, failing to follow traffic regulations and driving with no concern for the safety of other road users.

While three to four per cent of road accidents are caused by the condition of the vehicles like burst tyre while driving, malfunctioning of brake and others: Another four to five per cent of the accidents are caused by environment and infrastructure factors namely slippery conditions of road, heavy rain, (crossing of) wild animals, sharp bend and uneven roads.

With the implementation of SiKAP (Demerit Points system), the country has seen a sharp fall in speeding offences from 5,288 last year to 4.267 this year. There is also a sharp drop in illegal U-turns and illegal vehicle plate registrations among others.

However, the number of summons cases remains high like expired road tax, driving under influence, using shades to cover windows, lowering of vehicle suspension and so on.

The offence of not wearing seatbelts while driving has also seen a sharp decline from 107 summons cases last year to only 15 this year, whereas using mobile phones while driving is also down. Last year. 20 cases were recorded and this year that number has come down to just three.

The Royal Brunei Police Force has reminded the public to drive with care and obey traffic rules and regulations during the festive season and school holiday.

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