Oleh/By		:	DATO' SERI DR. 
			MAHATHIR BIN MOHAMAD 
Tempat/Venue 	: 	THE HYATT REGENCY HOTEL 
			JOHOR BAHRU, JOHOR DARUL TAKZIM 
Tarikh/Date 	: 	13/03/2000 
Tajuk/Title  	: 	THE OFFICIAL OPENING CEREMONY 
			OF THE PELABUHAN TANJUNG
			PELEPAS 2000 CONFERENCE 
			AND EXHIBITION 



  
  "Malaysian Ports into the 21st Century"
  
  
  First  of  all,  I wish to extend a warm welcome  to  all
  delegates  who  are  gathered here today  to  attend  the
  Pelabuhan Tanjung Pelepas (PTP) 2000 Conference. This  is
  a  rare  opportunity  to  address  such  a  distinguished
  gathering  of port and shipping experts.  Congratulations
  to   Baltic  Conventions and the Port of Tanjung  Pelepas
  for   organising   this   conference,   a   timely   move
  considering  the  pace of the economic recovery  in  Asia
  generally, and in Malaysia, in particular. This  recovery
  will  pick up speed and is expected to accelerate further
  as  the  world economy expands with stronger demand  from
   the  industrialised as well as the developing  countries.
  In  line with this economic expansion, the Malaysian port
  sector is expected to resume its upward growth.
  
  2.    The Malaysian Government is confident that the port
  sector's   further  growth  will  thrust  the   Malaysian
  economy  into  a  new  era  of  globalisation,  which  is
  presently engulfing the international trade sector.
  
  3.    With  this  globalisation,  world    markets    are
  increasingly independent of regulated policies and  as  a
  result  will  become  highly  competitive.  Increasingly,
  companies  are  outsourcing their needs  to  achieve  the
  lowest   cost  and  highest  quality  to  remain  viable.
  Shipping  Lines  and ports have benefited  from  this  by
  dealing  with  third party logistics  providers  who  are
  able  to `network' a diverse chain of players within  the
  global logistics chain.
  
  4.    With shipping lines embarking on larger Super  Post
  Panamax  vessels,  the world's demand  for  containerised
   cargo  is  expected to continue to increase with  reduced
  overall  freight  rates.  This we believe  will  lead  to
  further  port  expansion and a surge in demand  for  both
  the  port  and  shipping sectors, moving further  towards
  the  growth  of  the global logistics business  providing
  effective avenues and choices for cargo owners.
  
  5.    The  port  sector,  in  this  respect,  has  always
  responded  to  the  growing  needs  of  cargo  owners  by
  developing  newer  facilities  with  state  of  the   art
  equipment  as  well  as  using I.T.  to  achieve  greater
  efficiency.   The most efficient and cheapest  method  of
  moving  goods  is  still  by sea. A  well-developed  port
  infrastructure  is   thus a vital part  of  an  efficient
  trading  system  and  network. In  Asia,  successful  and
  prosperous economies have actually been built  simply  by
  providing first class port services.
  
  6.    Recognising this, the Malaysian Government embarked
  on   a  privatisation  policy  in  the  1980s  which  was
   designed,  in part, to increase the role of  the  private
  sector  in  national  economic  development  and  further
  increase the levels of productivity and efficiency.  This
  privatisation policy was followed by further  initiatives
  including   the   Multimedia   Super   Corridor,    which
  encompasses  the new administrative capital of  Putrajaya
  and  the KL International Airport. This area, once  fully
  developed,  will  see  the  state-of-the-art  Information
  Technology   infrastructure  and  new   business-friendly
  procedures  and  regulations  to  attract  I.T.  -  based
  industries.   With  these  business-friendly  approaches,
  procedures  such  as  Customs and  Immigration  clearance
  have  today undergone some form of computerisation, which
  has  provided for EDI  links to external users.  This has
  also  helped  to enhance the attractiveness of  Malaysian
  ports  due to faster turnaround of vessels through simple
  and effective clearance procedures.
  
  7.    The  Port  of  Tanjung  Pelepas  (PTP),  which  was
   developed  following a privatisation agreement  with  the
  Government  of Malaysia in March 1995 has benefited  from
  these procedures. Being new, PTP has geared itself to  be
  the  commercial nexus of South East Asia,  offering  port
  solutions  that  are  reliable, efficient  and  advanced.
  With  this  goal in mind, this conference and  exhibition
  is  necessary  to  create  an international  forum  where
  participants  can  exchange ideas, views  and  learn  the
  latest  on port management and issues relevant  to  their
  countries.  In a continued effort to upgrade and  improve
  the  Malaysian  economy, this conference  and  exhibition
  will be a biennial event.
  
  8.    Strategically  situated   at  the   confluence   of
  international  shipping  lanes  with  just   45   minutes
  navigation  time  away, PTP sees  itself  as  offering  a
  viable  and alternate port of call to shipping  lines  in
  this  region. Located on 1,935 acres of greenfield  site,
  PTP  will  enhance Malaysia's port sector's  contribution
   to Malaysia's development.
  
  9.    PTP aspires to develop into a regional transhipment
  hub  and  aims  to be on par with existing  international
  ports  like Singapore and Hong Kong. With a state-of-the-
  art  Information  Technology system,  PTP  gives  instant
  access  to  its purpose-designed Integrated Terminal  and
  Port   Management   Information   System   (ITPMIS).   By
  synergising   the  Port's  operations  and  communication
  centres,  the ITPMIS facilitates a free-flow  of  updated
  information  and  provides near  paper-less  transactions
  between  port personnel, shipping lines, marine  services
  and freight forwarders.
  
  10.   PTP  spares  no  expenses in providing  the  latest
  Super  Post  Panamax  and  Post  Panamax  Container  Quay
  cranes  to  be  deployed on the quayside. Their  53-metre
  outreach   can   service  even  the  most   sophisticated
  container vessel. Along with Rubber-Tyred Gantry  cranes,
  Prime  Movers  and Trailers, PTP reduces turnaround  time
   as cargo moves efficiently and quickly.
  
  11.   Challenging conventional and traditional  views  of
  port  development,  PTP offers an ideal  opportunity  for
  customers   to   reshape  the  market.  Various   customs
  formalities  like  Deferment of  Duty  on  foreign  goods
  until  departure and Elimination of Duty  on  merchandise
  re-exported,   have  been  waived.  PTP   also   provides
  facilities  for storage of goods and merchandise  pending
  more favourable market/sales conditions.
  
  12.   Southwest Johore is a growing area offering cheaper
  and  cost-effective  alternatives  to  manufacturing  and
  commercial  industries. About 1,000  acres  of  land  are
  available for lease on a long-term basis. Designed  as  a
  container port, PTP will develop a Distripark, ideal  for
  warehousing   consolidation,  International   Procurement
  Centre    operations,    value-added    activities    and
  distribution  services.  For  port  and  maritime-related
  support  industries, PTP has reserved some 613  acres  of
   land  to  accommodate export-oriented light,  medium  and
  heavy industries.
  
  13.   PTP will have the single largest container handling
  facilities  in the region outside of Singapore.  Spanning
  an  area  of 1.2 million square metres and able to  store
  approximately 110,000 TEUs, the container yard is one  of
  the largest in South East Asia.
  
  14.   The increase in trade would have an impact on ports
  and  shipping  services. The maturing  of  new  container
  markets  following  the admission of  Vietnam,  Cambodia,
  Myanmar  and  Laos  would open up vast opportunities  for
  new  ports  to play a bigger role in the region.  PTP  is
  therefore  in  a  good  position  to  provide  a   better
  platform for Malaysia to capture these growing markets.
  
  15.   In  an  increasingly competitive environment,  port
  operators  must ensure that the needs of users  are  met.
  Through  the  Malaysia Incorporated  concept,  Government
  and  private  sectors have been able to work together  to
   develop the port sector and achieve greater heights.
  
  16.   In  line  with  the theme of  this  conference,  an
  awareness  of  the  potential of  PTP  will  become  more
  apparent.  I  hope  participants here  will  discuss  and
  exchange   ideas  for  the  betterment  of  local   ports
  industry.  The  conference will also analyse  global  and
  regional  trade and shipping trends in this new millenium
  that  are  relevant and that would have direct impact  on
  the  port  industry.  I believe that  deliberations  from
  this  conference  would  provide  useful  guidelines  and
  directions   in  ensuring  effective  and  dynamic   port
  policies,   thereby  enabling  local  ports   to   remain
  competitive and attractive in a fast changing world.
  
  17.   On  this  note,  I  hereby  declare  the  PTP  2000
  International Conference and Exhibition open.