Representatives of the business community have joined forces to oppose the federal government's plan to privatise the Penang port.

NONE About 40 stakeholders from various organisations met with Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng late last night to express objections to the idea, which has been placed on the election agenda in the state.

The group involves the Malay, Chinese and Indian Chambers of Commerce, Federation of Malaysian Manufacturers (FMM), free trade zones, logistics providers, freight forwarders, importers and exporters, shipping companies and agents, stevedores, and workers’ organisations.

The two-hour meeting concluded with Lim setting up a steering committee dubbed ‘Save the Port from Privatisation’, comprising representatives of each stakeholder.

The group adopted five resolutions to ensure that the port is returned to the state to manage, instead of being privatised to Umno-linked business tycoon Syed Mokhtar Al-Bukhary.

NONE Freight Forwarding Association representative Krishnan Chelliah was appointed the inaugural chairperson, while  Khoo Cheok Sin of FMM is his deputy.

The resolutions include the rejection of privatisation to an outsider "done without consultation with the people".

"We urge immediate dredging, costing RM353 million, of the channel to deepen (it) for larger vessels," said Lim, reading out the resolutions.

"We reject the downgrading of the port to a feeder port after privatisation and urge that it be retained as a commercial regional hub.

"We urge that the ferry service be revamped to be a heritage icon of the state, and the return of the port to Penangites to be run by them.”

azlan The issue of port privatisation gained prominence when state BN chief Teng Chang Yeow declared this as an election pledge, if the coalition regains the state.

This has triggered an intensive campaign by the Penang DAP to restore the port to Penangites, while Teng backed the call for free port status.

The Finance Ministry - which Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak heads - said in a parliamentary reply on June 12 that the issue of free port status does not arise because Penang already has five free trade zones.

However, on June 19, Najib issued another parliamentary reply to say that the federal government would consider Teng’s proposal for free port status.

‘Still a feeder port’

At the meeting last night, Lim played a video clip to prove that the MCA is solidly behind the privatisation of the port.

The footage was from Sunday's second debate between Lim and MCA president Dr Chua Soi Lek.

Chua said privatised ports have done well, as the 20 top in the world include Port Klang and Tanjong Pelepas.

Recommending privatisation, he claimed that Penang port has not performed on par with regional facilities and that productivity and efficiency are "on the low side".

NONE Chua also conceded that Penang port is merely a "feeder port".

"You dredge it, deepen it, the big vessels of 8000-12000 TEU which means nothing to you will still not call at Penang port, because it is a feeder port," Chua had remarked.

"That is the same way no international flight will fly from London to Penang because it is a regional airport. Understand? So when we treat the efficiency and productivity of the port, the Penang trade and investment will go up. So you have to thank us, and not blame us.”