Transport Ministry wants second round of port clearing

CORONAVIRUS | Freight forwarders and hauliers have been told to conduct a second round of port clearing to make way for the importation of essential goods.

Transport Minister Wee Ka Siong said the four-day exercise will begin tomorrow for companies with goods stored at all ports to move their goods out.

"To ensure the smooth and continued flow of much-needed daily essentials for households, it has been proven necessary to conduct these port clearing exercises from time to time to allow companies to expedite the movement of their cargo.

"This exercise ensures that essential goods are delivered unhampered to the communities that need them in the second phase of the movement control order," he said.

He said this was in line with amendments to Regulation No 2 of (Measures within the Infected Local Areas) Regulations 2020 under the Prevention and Control of Infectious Diseases Act 1988.

"This means that any activity and process in the supply chain of port, dock and airport services and undertaking and transportation by land, water or air are also deemed as essential services," said Wee.

On March 26, Malaysiakini had reported that containers are stacking up in Port Klang which limited the transport of non-essential goods.

Following this, Wee announced that freight forwarders were instructed to remove containers to factories in three days regardless of its content because ports were being clogged up and nearing 100 percent capacity.

However, some freight forwarders pointed out that some factories cannot receive the containers because they are shut during the MCO period.

This was eventually cleared up by Wee. - Mkini