Masing calls for inland port revival
Lifting ban on trade with Kalimantan through Tebedu would benefit communities on both sides of the border
This inland port when it is properly used will provide economic activities for both sides of the borders vis-àvis, what it means is; we are helping the rural economies of both countries.
TEBEDU: Indonesia should consider lifting the ban on normal trade going through Tebedu Inland Port from Sarawak to West Kalimantan as it takes less time for goods imported through Kuching Port to reach the Indonesian region through Tanjung Periok Port in Java.
In May last year the Indonesian authorit ies stopped goods valued at more than RM600 which it classified as normal trade from entering Kalimantan through Tebedu Inland Port and instead use its own port in Java.
Presently only border trade valued at less RM600 per family can pass through the inland port and this has badly affected the trade volume handled by the port here.
Deputy Chief Minister Tan Sri Datuk Amar Dr James Jemut Masing made the appeal during his visit to Tebedu Inland Port as well as Entikong and Balai Kerangan yesterday.
Masing said at its height in 2013, Tebedu Inland Port handled more than RM700 million in trade value per year but it had dipped to an insignificant level and if the policy was not changed the port would continue to wallow in the doldrums.
“I was made to understand that Indonesia has changed its trading policy in terms of its usage of Tebedu Inland Port when it decided to use Tanjung
Tan Sri Datuk Amar Dr James Jemut Masing, Deputy Chief Minister
Periok Port in Java which will take seven days to bring goods to Kalimantan.
“But if they use Kuching Port and the Inland Port of Tebedu, to transport their goods to Kalimantan, then goods can reach its destination in two days’ time from Jakarta,” Masing told The Borneo Post .
He also pointed out that allowing normal trade through the inland port would be a win-win move as when the port was f lourishing the communities on both sides of the border had benefited from the economic spin- off of the high volume of trade crossing the border.
“This inland port when it is properly used will provide economic activities for both sides of the borders vis- à- vis, what it means is we are helping the rural economies of both countries.”
The deputy chief minister was optimistic that Indonesia would lift the ban on cross border normal trade through the inland port soon because they had improved their transport facilities from Pontianak to the border area near Tebedu.
“On our side, we also have to improve our point of entries into Indonesia to bring about smoother transportation of goods between Kuching and West Kalimantan,” said Masing.
Masing who is also minister of infrastructure and transportation, also hoped that the Malaysian government would beef up its security at the Tebedu border check point to prevent smuggling which had also adversely affected legal trade between the two countries.
He said he would brief the cabinet in today’s meeting on what he had been briefed by both the Malaysia operator of the Tebedu Inland Port and the district officer of Entikong at Entikong yesterday.
Among those accompanying Masing for the one- day trip Tebedu Inland Port, Entikong and Balai Kerangan yesterday were Kuching Port Authority ( KPA) chairman Datuk Awang Bemee Ali Basah, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry Infrastructure Development and Transportation Safri Zainuddin, State Immigration director Ken Leben, Consul General of Indonesia in Kuching Bapak Jahar Gultom, PRS secretary- general Datuk Wilfred Rata Nissom, Serian Resident Dahim Nadot and SM Inland Port Managing Director Nobel Pang.