PSA & Westports: Headlines in Mingguan Malaysia
The government has been reminded to ensure equity holdings in all Malaysian ports are not passed on to foreigners as they form the country's strategic industry that has great potentials for further development.
"It will impoverish the country if our ports are controlled by foreigners after they are privatised by the government," said former Port Klang Authority director-general M Rajasingam in Mingguan Malaysia today. Quote:
“Semasa semua pelabuhan diswastakan, kos untuk membina kemudahan dermaga adalah murah dan dijual dengan harga rendah, iaitu harga subsidi bukan harga komersial.
“Jika ia mahu dijual kepada orang asing, persoalannya ialah adakah untuk membuat duit atau untuk mendapatkan faedah strategik,” kata beliau.
Meanwhile, Mingguan Malaysia said Westports Malaysia has clarified that it had never entered into any business negotiations with Ports of Singapore Authority (PSA) through Hutchison Ports Holdings of Hong Kong.
May 9, PSA International Group CEO Eddie Teh flew in for a meeting with Westports Malaysia's executive chairman G. Gnanalingam at Hilton Kuala Lumpur.
The timing has raised eyebrows as it was strategically ahead of a rendezvous between Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi and his Singaporean counterpart Lee Hsien Loong on a cruise off Langkawi next Tuesday.
The meeting was touted as an informal get-together "amid the strong bilateral relations and growing confidence with each other". A delegation meeting at a hotel in Langkawi has been scheduled before Lee is being hosted to lunch on a Star Cruises ship.
Context in Screenshots, Nay 10. The Transport Ministry has been reminded to speed up the formation of a Ports Commission to integrate and coordinate all port authories in the country and market Malaysia as a regional logistics hub in a wholesome manner.
Comments
There is a need and this need must be addressed. We must remove this government and replace it with a government that is more representative of the population (i.e. seats allocation by number of votes not by number of constituencies).
From Najah's blog, a comment made by one Medster:
"In 2004, BN got 64% while Oppo (DAP and BA) got 35%.
* I’m not gonna count Independents ok.
So out of approx 23.5 million people, BN got 15 million votes while Oppo got 8.2 million votes. "
But with the current government, this is impossible, not just next to impossible.
I am not saying we should follow the recent Thai path, I am saying it is no longer a choice but a must.
Posted by: Hansac
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May 13, 2007 10:38 AM
There is nothing wrong to get a good foreign strategic partner for our ports. Let us learn from PSA how to run a world-class port in this era of globalisation. But too bad, our BN politicians only think of their personal benefits not the country's benefits when they make decision. I will not vote for the rotten BN, I swear.
Posted by: swsy
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May 13, 2007 12:42 PM
Malaysia Mega Sale coming soon.
However, Malayssia has already been on sale for a cheap price for quite some time.
Posted by: aku anak malaysia
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May 13, 2007 01:39 PM
If they can have controlling stakes in 25 ports in 13 countries, they must be doing something right.
You come to introduce new technology, efficiency, marketing networks etc.
In fact, today another port, this time Mesin of Turkey fall into their hand. More ports to come in their quest for global domination in port services.
In today, Linhe zaobao, Singapore..
与合资公司出价11亿余元 港务集团获土耳其港口管理权
● 许丽卿
新加坡国际港务集团(PSA International)在土耳其的合资公司,以7亿5500万美元(11亿4800万新元)出价取得土耳其梅尔辛港(Mersin)的36年经营管理权。这将是港务集团在新加坡以外第三大的单一投资项目。
港务集团与土耳其合作伙伴阿可芬(AKFEN)控股公司,通过它们的合资公司梅尔辛国际港口管理公司(Mersin International Port management,MIP),昨天同土耳其私营化局及土尔其国家铁道局签署协议,以便后者将梅尔辛港口的全部经营管理权转交给梅尔辛国际港口管理公司,直至2043年。
Posted by: wander
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May 13, 2007 04:17 PM
We may need to get the fact right. Port of Tanjung in South Johor has done better in term of productivity and cost in comparison to Singapore. They have consistently recorded productivity above the world average and fair much better than PSA. They are the only port that managed to secure business from PSA, something we never ever think about. In just 7 years in operations, the port has managed to handled 4.8 million TEUs. A record that many ports around the world will not able to match. The fact that world 2 mega liners that have decided to shift to the port from PSA did say something. Did not they?
Posted by: mto
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May 13, 2007 10:31 PM
Folks, check this out.
The breath-taking beauty of Marina Bay, the venue where Singapore will held its first F1 in 2008.
http://www.marina-bay.sg/enews.htm
The whole Marina Bay was curved out from the sea by land reclaimation, where Johor sands landed.
Posted by: wander
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May 13, 2007 10:44 PM
Port Klang container berths is badly planned. there should be only one container port in Port Klang. How mahathir and Lee Liong Sik cane up with the idea of two container ports for port klang is beyond comprehension. Now if one container comes in at west port, but is scheduled to leave at north port, a hefty transition cost is added in. What a waste. Stupid planning destroys our country's competitve edge.
We do not require PSA to kill us, North port and west port are killing each other.
Posted by: sydput
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May 14, 2007 10:27 AM