Loke (centre) shows the list of items exempted from AP. With him are his deputy minister Datuk Kamaruddin Jaafar (left) and the ministry’s secretary-general Datuk Khairul Adib Abdul Rahman. — Bernama photo
PUTRAJAYA: The government will be exempting 54 cargo items from the Approved Permit (AP) requirements for transhipment activities under the Full Container Load scheme at Malaysian ports with free trade zone status.
The items would include pets and wildlife, timber and food items such as rice, coffee, coconut and dairy products, said Transport Minister Anthony Loke Siew Fook.
Speaking to a press conference here yesterday, he said the relevant agencies would be taking immediate steps to implement the exemptions after the Royal Malaysian Customs Department had gazetted the decision.
Meanwhile, 20 dangerous items listed under the Third Schedule, Part I of the Customs (Prohibition of Exports) Order 2017, would still require AP permits for transhipment activities due to safety reasons.
“This includes weapons, firecrackers, fireworks and such, because in terms of security we need more control on these and we are not compromising on it.”
Loke said the Cabinet made the decision during a meeting yesterday to ensure that Malaysian ports would remain competitive and maintain their position as global transhipment hubs and the gateway to competitive trade.
“The government’s move is expected to attract international shipping companies to use Malaysian ports as transhipment hubs.
“At the same time, this will help Malaysia strengthen its shipping connectivity index with major global ports, which will boost the investment sector growth and the maritime downstream industry,” he said.
According to Loke, Malaysian ports handle 16 million twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) of transhipment containers since 2015, and the amount is expected to grow at a rate of 3.5 per cent by 2022, subject to a positive global environment. — Bernama