Give priority to local entrepreneurs as Labuan port operator: Hatta
Last update: 12/01/2020By Jailani Hasan
LABUAN, Jan 12 -- The interests of local entrepreneurs have to be taken into consideration in the appointment of the operator of Labuan's containerised port Labuan Liberty Wharf, says Deputy Entrepreneur Development Minister Datuk Dr Mohd Hatta Md Ramli.
He said the 20 years of service provided by the current operator, Labuan Liberty Port Management Sdn Bhd (LLPM), should be given due consideration.
“For 20 years the Labuan port has been operated by local entrepreneurs, from nothing to what it is today, and the operator has been able to revive the port. I sympathise with them, but we need to know the true situation,“ he told reporters after a dialogue with heads of Labuan business chambers here today.
Mohd Hatta said he will contact the transport ministry over this matter.
“I will contact the relevant parties in the transport ministry if there is space for priority to be given to local entrepreneurs. More so as LLPM is the local company that has handled the Labuan port for so long.
"Whether the economy was up or down, it was still able to manage the port... that consideration should be given,” he said.
It was reported in the newspapers on Dec 15 that a new operator (through tender) from outside Labuan would be appointed to take over the management of Labuan Liberty Wharf.
However, Labuan Port Authority chairman Chan Foong Hin denied it and told Bernama that no decision had been made yet on the appointment of the new operator of the container port.
It was also reported that LLPM general manager Abd Ghani Paijan had lodged a report with the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) after requesting MACC to investigate the leakage of the tender results.
-- BERNAMA
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