LAWAS (Sarawak), Aug 1 — Brunei Darussalam has decided to postpone the implementation of entry and exit charges at land border checkpoints to Oct 1 following a request from the Sarawak government.
Sarawak Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Amar Awang Tengah Ali Hasan said today that he had recently sent a letter to the Brunei government asking for the implementation of the charges, which was supposed to start today, to be postponed.
“I have asked the Brunei government to discuss in depth as well as to take into account certain matters (in the implementation of the entry and exit charges).
“We highly appreciate and thank the Government of Brunei Darussalam for postponing the implementation of the entry and exit charges,” he told reporters after attending a ceremony to hand out sacrificial meat in conjunction with the Hari Raya Aidiladha celebration at Masjid Lawas here.
The Brunei government had, on July 9, announced that it would impose B$3 (about RM9.18) in exit and entry charges beginning Aug 1 on all individuals leaving and entering the country through its land control posts.
The Ministry of Finance and Economy Brunei Darussalam had said in a statement that the charges would be imposed under the Exit and Entry Charges Order 2020, which gives the Controller of the Royal Customs and Excise Department the power to do so.
“The main objective for the implementation of these charges is to standardise payments and charges that have been imposed on the public leaving or entering Brunei Darussalam through air or sea,” the statement said.
The charge will be imposed on all citizens, including Brunei citizens, intending to leave or enter Brunei through the land control posts (checkpoints), either by vehicle or as a pedestrian.
However, the charge does not apply to persons travelling in a vehicle belonging to the Brunei government or the government of another country for official purposes, vehicles used for the purpose of a funeral, consular staff, staff of the government of Brunei Darussalam on official duty and children aged two years or below.
The ministry said anyone intending to leave or enter Brunei Darussalam through land control posts must register online through the Royal Customs and Excise Department’s Exit and Entry System (EES) at https://login.bdnsw.gov.bn/ees.
