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Sabah state government has
registered its complaint with the Federal
government on a proposal to designate Bintulu
Port, in Sarawak a regional load centre, a move
which it claims could seriously undermine the
development of ports in the state.
It is understood both Sabah Ports Authority, the
regulatory agency of the eight ports in the
state and Suria Capital Bhd to which the eight
ports have been privatized to, have written to
the Ministry of International Trade and Industry
and the Ministry of Transport on their
reservations to make Bintulu Port the regional
load centre.
Sabah port sources said the move (to designate
Bintulu Port a regional load centre) could
marginalize the ports in the state, especially
after substantial efforts have been made
recently to invest and develop the ports after
its privatization.
Sabah concern stems from proposals under the
Industrial Master Plan 3 (2006-2020), which
recommends the designation of Bintulu Port as a
regional load centre.
As part of the recommendations to enhance the
international logistics links to and from
Sabah/Sarawak, the IMP3 document says measures
will include developing the necessary
infrastructure and creating suitable operating
environment in support of Port of Bintulu as a
regional load centre (to attract a critical mass
of cargo within Sabah and Sarawak.
The Plan adds this will include allowing limited
entry of foreign shipping companies to operate
between national load centre in Port Klang and
the designated regional load centre in Bintulu.
“This will contribute towards expanding the
network of shipping connectivities and reducing
the cost of transshipment of cargo from and to
Sabah/Sarawak.
The IMP3, issued by MITI, said there is also a
need to allow international logistics service
providers to operate in Sabah and Sarawak to
stimulate the growth in cargo volume and attract
a network of international transport links.
“This will also support the development of Port
of Bintulu as a regional load centre,” the Plan
noted.
Sabah port sources said the basis for the
selection of Bintulu Port, a federal port, was
not disclosed or apparent.
The port sources said it is feared that
following the designation of Bintulu as a
regional load centre, the federal government
could resort to a range of fiscal and financial
measures or incentives to foster its
development.
“Such a move would be grossly unfair and place
our ports, especially the newly-developed
Sapangar Bay Container Terminal at Kota Kinabalu
Port in a disadvantaged position,” said a port
source.
The source also commented that a study
commissioned by the Ministry of Transport to
ascertain the competitiveness of ports in the
two east Malaysian states has been seriously
flawed.
“Even before the study was commissioned, it was
being suggested that Bintulu Port would be
designated as the regional load centre and to
make matters worse the study was entirely funded
by the Bintulu Port Authority (BPA),” the source
said.
“How can such a study come out with an
independent finding? We are not sure why you
need such a study when the conclusion is already
pre-determined,” queried the Sabah port source.
It is understood the study, which is led by the
Malaysian Maritime Institute has run into
troubled waters with not only its delay but also
with its initial findings, the depth of which
has been questioned by BPA, which is reported to
have allocated RM700,000 for the study.
The study carried out by a motley collection of
six consultants has raised the irked the ire of
BPA which is reported to have found the draft
report lacking in substance and scientific
assessment of industry data.
Sabah port sources which had accessed to the
draft report also chided the consultants for
making sweeping and generalized statements,
including providing incorrect information on the
status of ports in Sabah, especially the
Sapangar Bay Container Terminal.
“We will be making strong representation to the
Federal government on the flawed report and
protest against the unilateral move to make
Bintulu Port a regional load centre,” said the
source from Sabah port. |
