This comes following the suggestion from members of the Dewan Perniagaan Melayu Malaysia (DPMM), Selangor branch, who paid a working visit to the free zone recently.

PKFZ general manager of business development Chia Kon Leong said the company would work together with DPMM to explore the prospects of creating opportunities and introductions for foreign companies with local businessmen to source for products and services necessary for their business transactions.

Some 40 members of DPMM toured PKFZ and met with PKFZ’s management to explore areas where the two parties could co-operate and create business opportunities.

Sohaimi Shahadan, chairman of DPMS Corp Bhd, a business arm of the Chamber, spearheaded the visit and said the group was impressed with the wide range of facilities at the free zone.

Sohaimi said he was impressed with how easy it is to set up business at PKFZ.

“The usual red tape has been reduced or eliminated for foreigners and locals can literally move-in overnight into the existing facilities like the light-industrial units, or the office blocks. Many of our members can see business growth opportunities with PFKZ,” he added.

Located in Pulau Indah, the 400 hectare PKFZ offers 240ha of land lots, 512 light industrial units, 500,000 sq ft of office space, a business-class hotel and an exhibition centre.

It is targeting 80 per cent occupancy by 2012, with 39 companies investing some RM729 million to date. It is estimated to generate 25,000 to 30,000 jobs when fully occupied.

Rancangan itu susulan saranan ahli Dewan Perniagaan Melayu Malaysia (DPMM) cawangan Selangor, yang mengadakan lawatan kerja ke PKFZ baru-baru ini.

“PKFZ akan bekerjasama dengan DPMM untuk meneroka prospek mewujudkan peluang dan memperkenalkan syarikat asing kepada ahli perniagaan tempatan,” kata Pengurus Besar Pembangunan Perniagaan PKFZ, Chia Kon Leong.

VISKO Industries Sdn Bhd, syarikat usaha sama Taiwan dan Indonesia, melabur RM30 juta bagi pembangunan fasa pertama kilang mengeluar pelekat di Syarikat Taiwan, Indonesia pilih Zon Bebas Pelabuhan Klang (PKFZ).

Pengarah Urusannya, Judi Widjaya Leonardi, berkata kilang seluas 100,000 kaki persegi itu mempunyai keupayaan menghasilkan 30 juta hingga 35 juta meter persegi pelekat sebulan.

Beliau berkata, kilang berkenaan yang dijadualkan beroperasi suku ketiga tahun ini, akan menghasilkan pelekat khusus bagi pasaran serantau.

“Selain kemudahan kelas pertama, kami memilih PKFZ berdasarkan profesionalisme ditunjukkan kakitangannya dalam membantu mempermudahkan proses penubuhan syarikat di zon itu.

“Kami dapati amat mudah berurusan dengan PKFZ, terutama menerusi agensi sehentinya,” katanya pada majlis pecah tanah tapak kilang Visko Industries di PKFZ di Pulau Indah, Pelabuhan Klang, semalam.

Hadir sama Pengurus Besar Lembaga Pelabuhan Klang (LPK), Datin Paduka OC Phang; Pengarah PKFZ, Tan Sri Profesor Dr James Alfred; Pengurus Besar Pembangunan Perniagaan Port Klang Free Zone Sdn Bhd, Chia Kon Leong, serta Pengurus Besar Pemasaran dan Komunikasi Korporatnya, Helen How Mei Leng.

Visko Industries adalah syarikat usaha sama antara Alpha Beta Enterprise Company Ltd berpangkalan di Taiwan dan PT Ekadharma International Tbk dari Indonesia.

Ekadharma memiliki dua kilang mengeluar pelekat di Indonesia dan tiga di Taiwan.

Visko Industries ditubuhkan pada Julai 2007 dan memeterai perjanjian dengan PKFZ September tahun lalu, bagi menyewa kawasan seluas dua hektar dengan opsyen tambahan dua hektar bagi pembangunan fasa keduanya.

Judi Widjaya berkata, pihaknya bercadang membesarkan kilang pengeluaran pelekat di PKFZ itu menjelang 2010 dengan peningkatan sekali ganda keupayaan pengeluaran.

Bagaimanapun, beliau tidak dapat menganggarkan kos pembangunan fasa kedua kerana ia bergantung kepada pelbagai faktor termasuk kos bahan binaan.

“Kami yakin mendapat balik modal yang dilaburkan untuk pembangunan fasa pertama setahun selepas beroperasi,” katanya sambil menambah di Asean saja, pasaran pelekat dianggarkan sekitar 100 juta meter persegi sebulan.

Sementara itu, Phang berkata sejak pembukaannya pada November 2006, sebanyak 39 syarikat yang terbabit dalam pembuatan, pengedaran peralatan pelbagai industri, perdagangan dan logistik sudah melabur sekitar RM729 juta di PKFZ, sekali gus membuka 888 peluang pekerjaan baru.

Syarikat berkenaan, katanya, menguasai 30.8 hektar kawasan lapang, 25 unit industri ringan dan lebih 6,000 kaki persegi ruang pejabat.

“Pihak pengurusan PKFZ kini berunding dengan 55 syarikat tempatan dan luar negara yang memiliki potensi pelaburan bernilai RM610 juta,” katanya sambil menambah sasaran pelaburan itu dijangka dicapai akhir tahun ini.

Ifeanyi Mbah, technical adviser to the Nigerian commerce and Industry minister, was recently in Malaysia to meet with the management of Port Klang Free Zone Sdn Bhd to discuss a turnkey free zone project in Nigeria with the possibility of PKFZ offering management consultancy for the project.

Although a number of free zones already exist in Nigeria, the proposed turnkey project would be a new development, which once operational and successful, could be emulated by the existing privately-owned free zones across the country.

The Nigerian government expects to invest some US$1 billion (US$1 = RM3.36) in the project and expects construction to begin by the end of 2008.

Mbah said the Nigerian Federal Minister of Commerce and Industry, Charles C. Ugwuh, was impressed with the PKFZ concept when the latter visited Malaysia in September this year.

“The Nigerian government has a new integrated industrial development strategy which involves clustering economic activities to accelerate the economic growth of the country.

“The minister believes PKFZ’s integrated free zone model is perfect for Nigeria because it provides industrial and commercial activities with value-add opportunities which will generate enormous growth and wealth,” Mbah said in a statement yesterday.

“The PKFZ model is interesting to us because it is unlike the conventional free zone solution. It focuses on manufacturers who wish to grow their business rather than have a trading focus,” Mbah added.

PKFZ general manager of business development Chia Kon Leong said PKFZ’s management is considering the request for management consultancy in the Nigerian project.

“It is encouraging to note that the PKFZ model has caught the attention of the Nigerian government and the management will be willing to share their experience and expertise,” Chia said.

PKFZ has been operational since November 2006. It provides a total of 450ha, of which 259.2ha are open land lots, 512 light industrial units, 500,000 sq ft office space, a business-class hotel and an exhibition centre.

PKFZ has so far attracted 39 companies with investments worth RM729 million.

THE Port Klang Free Zone (PKFZ) in Pulau Indah, a project that had drawn criticism from the public over its ballooning cost overruns, has made significant progress in the last four months, having attracted 39 companies into the zone with total investments of RM729 million.

“The pace of investments into PKFZ has accelerated in the past four months.

“We believe the pick-up rate will be faster from the second year of operations,” Port Klang Free Zone Sdn Bhd (PKFZSB) general manager of business development, Chia Kon Leong, said last Friday.

Chia is part of a new management team of locals appointed by the Port Klang Authority (PKA), which owns PKFZ, to manage and market the RM4.6 billion free zone, following the pull-out of Dubai-based Jafza International from the project in July this year.

It was reported that the fallout between PKA and Jafza was partly due to the latter’s slow progress in attracting investments into PKFZ since the project’s soft launch in November last year.

Asked when PKFZ can expect to recoup its RM4.6 billion project costs, Chia said it is considered a national project.

“The prospects of getting RM5 billion to RM6 billion worth of investments coming, creating 25,000 to 30,000 employment opportunities (upon full development) and sustaining the competitiveness of Port Klang so that main line operators will continue to call and shippers do not have to pay higher freight charges …. how do you quantify all these to equate it with the RM4.6 billion (spent to develop PKFZ)?” he asked.

He likened the project to the KL International Airport (KLIA) in Sepang.

“Who built KLIA? Who runs KLIA today? Is Malaysia Airports Holdings Bhd going to pay back what the Government spent to build the airport? So can we be given the same condition? It should be looked at in the same way,” he said.

Covering 405ha, PKFZ offers 298.4ha of open land for long-term, 512 pre-built light industrial units and 4,628sq ft of office space in its business complex.

Chia said so far 12 companies have agreed to take up 31.19ha, representing 12 per cent of the open land in the zone. They have an option to lease another 37.67ha, or 15 per cent of the open land within the next 12 months.

“Aker Kvaerner from Norway is now the biggest investor in PKFZ, investing about RM400 million and leasing 28ha of the open land to build its factory.

“As for the light industrial units, 20 tenants have taken up 25 units for trading, light manufacturing and logistics businesses,” he added.

The types of investments PKFZ is looking at are in the fields of trading, manufacturing and logistics in all sectors including automotive, heavy industries, oil and gas, electronics, food, among others.

Talks are being held with 55 other potential investors with investments worth RM610 million, including three logistics companies.

“We are talking to three companies which have plans to set up a logistics hub within the free zone to do warehousing, distribution, container storage and full container loads (FCLs) or less than container loads (LCLs) activities.

“They comprise an international shipping line, a regional shipping line and a full service logistics provider,” he said.

To facilitate and fast-track the development of logistics services, PKFZ has set up a common user container freight station (CFS) in the zone similar to that of Northport and Westports.

“This CFS is not intended to compete with Northport or Westports for business but rather to facilitate trade. We look at Port Klang as a seamless environment, consisting of Northport, Westports and PKFZ.

“We will be working closely together to complement each other in order to grow the cake,” said Chia.

He also allayed fears of a price war among free trade zone operators in the country.

“In terms of rates offered among free zones in Port Klang, we have not dropped one sen from what they (Westports and Northport) are offering. If there’s any competition, let’s compete on service,” he said.

Meanwhile, Chia said PKFZ remains unfazed over the recent negative media coverage of the project; although he admits that it faces an uphill battle to get people to see that it will not be a white elephant.

PKFZ aims to be self-sustaining in 2010 when it is targeted to generate a revenue of RM40 million and an operating surplus of RM22 million.

Operator of hotel, expo centre identified.

PORT Klang Free Zone Sdn Bhd (PKFZSB), the manager and marketer of the RM4.6 billion free zone in Pulau Indah, said it has identified a local hotel group to manage and operate the four-star hotel and exhibition centre in the zone.

The 135-room hotel and exhibition centre is expected to be completed by the end of next month and open for business before the end of the first quarter next year.

“The company is a local but reputable hotel operator.

“We should be announcing its name soon,” Port Klang Free Zone Sdn Bhd general manager of business development Chia Kon Leong said.

Apart from the hotel and exhibition centre, PKFZ offers 298.4ha of open land for long-term, 512 pre-built light industrial units and 4,628sq ft of office space in its business complex.

Chia said the PKFZ project will be fully completed by the end of this year to coincide with the completion of the main access road into the zone.

The flyover bridge to neighbouring Westports, meanwhile, will be completed by the first quarter of next year.

SYARIKAT asing hanya mengambil masa kurang seminggu untuk menyelesaikan pelbagai urusan bagi memulakan operasi di Zon Bebas Pelabuhan Klang (PKFZ), sekali gus menolak dakwaan pihak tertentu bahawa urusan memulakan operasi di zon bebas itu membabitkan banyak birokrasi.

Pengalaman itu dialami dan diakui sendiri pengarah syarikat pembekal peralatan paip untuk industri minyak dan gas, KGT yang berpangkalan di Dubai, minggu lalu.

“Dalam masa enam hari segala-galanya siap… pejabat berdaftar dengan talian telefon dan faksimili serta akaun bank. Malah, saya juga mendapat satu set kad perniagaan juga siap tertera nama KGT Sdn Bhd.

“Adalah mudah untuk berniaga di PKFZ. Cuma pengkhabaran ini belum tersebar luas ke dunia luar,” kata Heidar Jouyaeyan dalam satu temu bual di Pulau Indah, Jumaat lalu.

Hadir sama Pengurus Besar Pembangunan Perniagaan Port Klang Free Zone Sdn Bhd, Chia Kon Leong, serta Pengurus Besar Pemasaran dan Komunikasi Korporatnya, Helen How Mei Leng.

Jouyaeyan berkata, kakitangan syarikat itu dari Dubai akan ditempatkan ke PKFZ dua minggu lagi.

Katanya, KGT memerlukan tapak perniagaan di rantau ini, susulan peningkatan permintaan terhadap peralatan paip minyak dan gas di Asia Barat, memandangkan satu daripada pembekal utamanya berpangkalan di Jepun.

Selain Malaysia, beliau berkata, syarikat juga meninjau untuk bertapak di kawasan berhampiran Jepun, khususnya China, tetapi akhirnya memilih PKFZ.

“Salah satu faktor pendorong ialah kami melihat kejujuran dan komitmen tinggi yang ditunjukkan kakitangan pengendali PKFZ…Kejujuran amat penting bagi orang Arab,” katanya.

Mengenai Zon Bebas Jafza di Dubai, Jouyaeyan berkata ia sudah menjadi terlalu kompetitif berdasarkan senarai menunggu yang panjang untuk memulakan perniagaan di sana.

Sementara itu, Chia berkata, walaupun hanya memulakan operasi 1 November tahun lalu, PKFZ berjaya menarik 39 pelabur dengan nilai pelaburan RM729 juta dan menawarkan 888 peluang pekerjaan.

Pelabur terbesar ialah Aker Kvaerner, pengeluar peralatan laut dalam dengan pelaburan kira-kira RM400 juta.

Beliau berkata, indeks prestasi utama (KPI) PKFZ memberi sasaran mampu berdikari selepas tiga tahun beroperasi dengan menjana pendapatan RM40
juta setahun dan melebihi operasi sekitar RM22 juta.

“Sasaran kami ialah 80 peratus kawasan di PKFZ seluas 400 hektar akan dihuni dalam tempoh lima tahun dengan pendapatan tahunan RM88 juta,” katanya.

PORT Klang Free Zone Sdn Bhd (PKFZ), which manages and markets the RM4.6 billion free zone in Pulau Indah, Selangor, has begun a campaign to allay negative perceptions about it and its operations.

It is in talks with potential investors and working with trade associations to win them over after being recently hit by controversies surrounding the project, a senior PKFZ official said.

Critics of the project had questioned the project’s development cost which had ballooned from an original estimate of RM100 million to RM4.6 billion, including land acquisition.

“When investors ask me about the controversies (involving the cost of developing the project), I ask them whether they are a politician or a businessman … because invariably a businessman will see the viability of the development,” PKFZ general manager for business development Chia Kon Leong told Business Times yesterday.

He was speaking after a visit by the Public Accounts Committee (PAC), which is investigating the PKFZ project’s operations following recent controversies.

A 16-member delegation comprising members from the Audit Department, the Finance Ministry and PAC headed by Datuk Shahrir Abdul Samad, had toured the PKFZ site earlier.

Shahrir, after the meeting, questioned why a provision had been made in the PKFZ project for additional expenditure of 20 per cent to be factored into the RM2.8 billion development cost.

“We are curious about this 20 per cent provision.This has been factored into the RM2.8 billion development cost,” he added.

He said the Port Klang Authority, which owns the free zone, has agreed to get back to the PAC with an explanation for the provision.

Shahrir said the PAC was satisfied with explanations so far, but he added: “We are not finished with PKFZ. We will have a briefing with the Attorney General.

“Then we will look at other areas before we table a report to the Dewan Rakyat.”

“We are not a group of anti-development people. We are interested in the financial procedure. We want to know how the cost overrun occurred in a government project,” he said.

The project first raised eyebrows when PKA bought 405ha in Pulau Indah in 2002 for RM1.088 billion, or RM25 per sq ft from Kuala Dimensi Sdn Bhd.

The land purchase was followed by RM1.845 billion in costs for the development of the zone.

In July, the then zone operator Jebel Ali Free Zone Authority withdrew from a contract to manage the PKFZ.

Last month, the Transport Ministry said the government had agreed to extend a loan for an unspecified amount to PKA to help cover the cost of the project which had ballooned to RM4.6 billion.

To date, PKFZ has 32 confirmed investors, taking up 31.2ha of open land for development and investing some RM725 million into the free zone.

Chia said there are another 12 customers that have booked 98 acres for
construction.

These investors are in the process of obtaining licensing, but have not signed any agreement or put up a deposit with PKFZ.

Pengerusi PAC, Datuk Shahrir Abdul Samad, berkata kerajaan memperuntukkan 20 peratus daripada RM2.8 bilion kos keseluruhan pembangunan PKFZ sebagai perbelanjaan luar jangka untuk digunakan apabila ada keperluan.

Beliau berkata, oleh kerana PKFZ dijangka siap sepenuhnya awal tahun depan, PAC mahu Kementerian Pengangkutan memberi penjelasan jumlah peruntukan luar jangka yang sudah dibelanjakan bagi menyiapkan projek mega itu.

“Pembinaan hotel perniagaan dan dewan pameran dijangka siap sepenuhnya bulan depan, manakala jalan masuk utama pula dijangka siap Disember ini.

“Oleh kerana jumlah 20 peratus peruntukan untuk perbelanjaan luar jangka ini sangat besar, PAC mahu tahu berapa jumlah perbelanjaan dan tujuan peruntukan itu digunakan,” katanya.

Beliau berkata demikian pada sidang akhbar selepas menyertai enam lagi Ahli Jawatankuasa PAC melawat PKFZ yang diakhiri dengan taklimat hampir dua jam yang disampaikan Pengurus Besar Pembangunan Perniagaan PKFZ, Chia Kon Leong, di sini, semalam.

Kos keseluruhan projek PKFZ meningkat kepada RM4.632 bilion selepas LPK memutuskan untuk membangunkan projek itu secara serentak selepas mendapat nasihat Jebel Ali Free Trade Zone (Jafza) yang ketika itu bertindak sebagai pengurus zon bebas berkenaan.

Kementerian Pengangkutan pada 23 Ogos lalu menjelaskan, LPK membangunkan PKFZ secara serentak membabitkan kawasan seluas 400 hektar dengan kos RM1.845 bilion.

PORT KLANG: Port Klang Free Zone aims to have an 80 per cent occupancy rate, equivalent to housing between 650 and 700 companies, by 2012.

However, PKFZ, after more than nine months in operations, has only signed up 30 companies, or a 12 per cent occupancy rate.

It has attracted investments of more than RM700 million, comprising customers taking up 16 units of light industrial units, 30.8ha of open land, and 449 sq m of office space.

PKFZ business development general manager Chia Kon Leong said: “When our customers sign up with us, they have the option to take up more land. The actual numbers will be much more once they exercise the option.

“Besides, we are also in talks with other companies. The take-up rate will be fast after the first two years.”

To achieve the goal, Chia said PKFZ would go on an aggressive promotion.

“Twenty per cent of our expenses will go to marketing and promotions. Our annual working capital is between RM12 million and RM16 million. We are working to be operationally self-sustaining in three years.”

Chia said the company expected to generate RM80 million when it hit the 80 per cent occupancy rate.

However, he did not say when PKFZ would recover its multi-billion ringgit investments.

He said there would be economic and spillover benefits when PKFZ became a success.

“When we hit our 80 per cent occupancy rate in 2012, we can expect to generate between 25,000 and 30,000 jobs.”

He said the exit of Jafza International would not affect its operations and goals.

“Port Klang Authority has the capability to do it (manage PKFZ).

“We have Malaysians who are capable of doing it.”

PKA, which owns PKFZ, signed a 15-year contract with Jafza International in 2004 to manage and market its free zone.

Under the agreement, Jafza International was to partner PKA in conceptualising the development and marketing of PKFZ.

These included management, administration, marketing and sales.

However, last month Jafza International, operator of Dubai’s Jebel Ali Free Zone, pulled out of the 15-year contract.

PORT Klang Free Zone Sdn Bhd, anak syarikat Lembaga Pelabuhan Klang (LPK) mensasar 80 peratus kawasan di Zon Bebas Pelabuhan Klang (PKFZ) akan dihuni dalam tempoh lima tahun dengan pendapatan tahunan sekitar RM80 juta, kata Pengurus Besar Pembangunan Perniagaannya, Chia Kon Leong.

Beliau berkata, setakat semalam 30 syarikat dari dalam dan luar negara sudah mengesahkan penyertaan di PKFZ membabitkan 12 peratus daripada keseluruhan kawasan seluas 400 hektar di zon bebas itu dan pelaburan berjumlah RM725 juta.

“Kami mensasar meraih pendapatan sekitar RM22 juta tahun depan, manakala RM40 juta menjelang 2010.

“Kami menganggarkan antara 650 hingga 700 syarikat dari dalam dan luar negara, termasuk perusahaan kecil dan sederhana (PKS), akan beroperasi di PKFZ dalam tempoh lima tahun ini,” katanya sambil menambah pihaknya mensasar 70 peratus daripada peserta PKFZ terdiri daripada syarikat asing.

Beliau berkata demikian pada taklimat media mengenai perkembangan terkini PKFZ di Pulau Indah, Selangor semalam.

PKFZ diuruskan anak syarikat LPK, Port Klang Free Zone Sdn Bhd.

Antara syarikat antarabangsa dan tempatan yang beroperasi di PKFZ ketika ini ialah Aker Kvaerner, pengeluar peralatan laut dalam; Score Asia, pengedar injap untuk industri minyak dan gas; Azron Wallsystem, pengedar bahan akustik; IEI Water-Tech, pengedar bahan kimia rawatan air; Veheng Global Traders, pusat pemerolehan antarabangsa untuk komponen automotif; dan Oriental SP, pedagang besi dan keluli.