Promotions in China, Taiwan to promote Sepanggar Bay Container Port

THE state government has carried out promotions in China and Taiwan on its ports facilities like the Sepanggar Bay Container Port, Deputy Chief Minister Tan Sri Joseph Pairin Kitingan, said.

Pairin said this when replying to Sri Tanjong assemblyman Chan Foong Hin who asked about the government’s efforts to attract direct call of foreign shipping vessels to the Sepanggar Bay Container Port.

“In this matter, we have been invited to join the port alliance, this is very important. We will have specific discussions on issues, including ways to attract foreign shipping vessels. We take this matter seriously.

“We have carried out promotion as we are now doing the extension of Sepanggar Port. We have also contacted interested parties like China and Taiwan. We will continue with the discussions so that we will get more foreign ships to come to Sabah,” the Infrastructure Development Minister said.

Pairin also disclosed that his ministry had set up a special committee on June 8 this year to monitor the impact of the Cabotage policy exemption.

The committee, he said, will be looking to identify and study the overall impact of the exemption.

“As the chairman of the committee, I am confident that this is a good platform to discuss issues pertaining to the matter,” he said, adding that the Transport Ministry had also agreed to set up a committee for Sabah, Sarawak and Labuan to discuss issues on transportation.