IN KUALA LUMPUR

 

JOHOR'S Port of Tanjung Pelepas (PTP) said yesterday that it was willing to work with its main rival, Singapore, in a cooperation that could strengthen both ports.
Under the scenario, the physical activities of the ports could be moved to the Malaysian port to free up land in Singapore, said PTP managing director Mohd Sidik Shaik Osman.
Singapore's role, on the other hand, would be to provide support activities such as the legal and financial aspects, he suggested to reporters on the sidelines of an industry conference yesterday.
'I have always said there is a tremendous area for cooperation between PTP and Singapore. We have the advantage of lower cost, we have the advantage of land, and this is an area we can work with,' he said, when asked whether it was possible for the two arch rivals to cooperate.’
Two-year-old PTP raised its international profile after it managed to woo Danish shipping giant Maersk Sealand away from Singapore, and to take up a 30 per cent stake in PTP in August 2000.
The Johor port is now negotiating to draw Taiwan's biggest shipping line, Evergreen Marine, from the Republic.
Last month, Evergreen group chairman Chang Yung-fa said the company had decided to move to PTP, citing lower charges, although no contract has been signed yet.
Earlier this month, Singapore's Transport Minister, Mr Yeo Cheow Tong, said he understood that PSA Corp and Evergreen were still in discussions, adding that Singapore would do 'whatever is necessary' to support the growth of local ports.
Malaysian Transport Minister Ling Liong Sik had said on Tuesday that the government would do 'everything possible' to assist PTP in getting the business of Evergreen.
Mr Sidik yesterday declined to answer questions about Evergreen, but he said PTP is open to cooperation talks with Singapore.
'We are always open to such discussions. We don't see any constraints,' he said, adding 'this is where both of us combined is a strength'.
He said that shifting the handling of ships to Johor would not uproot the port business of Singapore. 'If the activity is to move out of Tanjung Pelepas and to move elsewhere, the whole thing is uprooted. Coming to Tanjung Pelepas, business is not uprooted from Singapore.'
He added: 'We have to think to work together to look at developments taking place in other parts of the world. We are combining together for comparative advantage.'
PSA could not be reached for comment yesterday.