Welcoming the delegates, Mohd Sidik stated, “Welcoming the delegation is an honour to PTP. It is the LAP's second visit to PTP in less than three years. We now move forward by inviting them to ponder on ways and means that Singapore and PTP can cooperate for mutual benefit. We can draw on each other's strengths and this will make both our countries stronger to face increasing global challenges and new paradigms facing the port and shipping sector."

 

Mohd Sidik began the visit by briefing the delegation on vision of PTP as an emerging and soon-to-be leading transhipment hub in S.E. Asia. He touched on experiences during the downturn in the mid 90s and how PTP benefited from lower construction costs and new opportunities during the downturn to emerge stronger. He stressed that the looming global downturn is another challenge where ports must increase their value-added services to customers and assists them with cost savings and finding new business. It is the ports he stressed, that can be the engine of growth in any downturn. Closing with PTP's future expansion plans, Mohd Sidik stated that the vast land at PTP needs joint venture partners and investors who would be able to jump-start land development and also benefit from PTP's comprehensive network at the terminal. After the briefing, the delegates were taken on a short tour around the terminal.

 

The visit by the Leaders In Administration programme is seen as an effective platform to discuss avenues of cooperation between the two countries. Among the objectives of the course is to enable participants to acquire a deeper and broader knowledge and understanding of the social, political and economic developments in the region. It is also aimed at providing an opportunity for the participants to expand their network of contacts and to forge a closer working relationship with their counterparts from these countries