He will serve a two-year term beginning June 23 2008. Lim replaces Datin Paduka O.C. Phang who had tendered her resignation on the same day.

PKA chairman Lee Hwa Beng said unlike Phang, Lim will have executive powers and will be the focal point for matters relating to PKFZ.

Lim said with his appointment, PKFZ will no longer be searching for a suitable person to fill the managing director post left by Noel Gulliver William, who returned to Jafza International in April last year.

Gulliver was seconded by Jafza International to PKFZ in 2006 to establish its mega distribution park. However, Jafza pulled out of a 15-year contract to manage the free zone in July 2007.

“I am reviewing all the activities at PKFZ to make it attractive (for investors) as well as to get all facilities ready,” Lim said, adding that the main access road into PKFZ will be completed by the end of next month.

PORT Klang Free Zone Sdn Bhd (PKFZSB), the manager and marketer of the Port Klang Free Zone (PKFZ) in Pulau Indah, Selangor, said it is still continuing its search for a managing director vacated by Noel Gulliver William.

The post has been vacant for 10 months, ever since Gulliver’s return to Dubai in April last year.

Gulliver was seconded by Jafza International to PKFZ in 2006 to establish its mega distribution park. However, Jafza pulled out of a 15-year contract to manage the free zone in July 2007.

PKFZSB director Tengku Datuk Zainal Rashid, who participates in the selection process, said the company had recently posted an advertisement for the post after it failed to identify any suitable candidates the first time.

“I have not seen any of the applicants yet, but we are looking for a new managing director,” he told Business Times in an interview.

Tengku Zainal said the post does not necessarily have to be filled by a Malaysian, as long as the candidate “has got the right experience and qualification”.

“We have not established a timeframe, although we would like to fill the post as soon as possible. That’s because in any organisational structure, you need a managing director,” he added.

In the meantime, PKFZSB chairman Datin Paduka O. C. Phang will continue to head the company until the post is filled.

Zon bebas perindustrian dan komersial bersepadu pertama di Malaysia itu juga dijangka menarik RM91 juta pelaburan asing tidak lama lagi.

Pengurus Besar PKFZ, Noel Gulliver, berkata tapak industri seluas 21.2 hektar sudah diperuntukkan kepada sebuah syarikat berpotensi.

Syarikat terbabit, katanya, turut diberi pilihan untuk menyewa kawasan seluas 10.4 hektar lagi.

Beliau berkata, PKFZ juga menawarkan empat kompleks pejabat lapan tingkat yang lengkap dengan kemudahan seperti bank, pejabat pos, tempat makan dan ruang letak kereta mencukupi kepada pelabur.

“Kami sedang berunding dengan 10 pelabur yang berminat menyewa bangunan pejabat bagi perniagaan mereka.

“Pelabur terbabit meliputi syarikat yang menyediakan perkhidmatan
‘penyumberluaran’, pemprosesan data, pengurusan perisian, logistik, juru ukur, perdagangan dan perkhidmatan lain,” katanya dalam kenyataan di Kuala Lumpur, semalam.

Baru-baru ini, PKFZ menyerahkan tanggungjawab penguatkuasaan peraturan kastam kepada Jabatan Kastam Diraja Malaysia, bagi memastikan penguatkuasaan peraturan Kastam Malaysia.

Sebagai simbolik kepada penyerahan itu, Gulliver menyerahkan replika kunci kepada Pengarah Kastam Selangor, Datuk Abdul Razak Yaacub.

Hadir sama, Penolong Pengurus Besar (Pentadbiran) Lembaga Pelabuhan Klang, Salihuddin Yussuf; Ahli lembaga PKFZ, Tan Sri Prof Dr James Alfred A David dan Pengarah Kastam Kastam Diraja Malaysia, Datuk Ismail Ibrahim.

PKFZ yang dimiliki Lembaga Pelabuhan Klang, diuruskan syarikat profesional dalam pengurusan pelabuhan, Jafza International, yang berpengalaman 20 tahun dalam industri berkenaan.

Jafza International adalah Bahagian Perundingan dan Pengurusan Lembaga Zon Bebas Jebel Ali (JAFZA) di Dubai.

Sehingga kini, sembilan syarikat sudah beroperasi di tapak seluas 29.6 hektar dengan pilihan menyewa dua hektar lagi dan lima bangunan industri ringan siap bina dan gudang dengan pilihan menyewa empat bangunan.

THE Port Klang Free Zone (PKFZ) in Pulau Indah is expected to bring in another 20 to 25 investors in the next couple of months, investing more than RM100 million in the area.

PKFZ general manager Noel Gulliver told Business Times that the project is on schedule and that there is a healthy interest from investors to set up there.

“I think we’ll get past 20 investors quickly,” Gulliver said.

The free zone’s customs checkpoint is also to be fully operational soon, with the key handing over ceremony to customs officials happening this week.

“It is a small but important milestone as this would be the point where investors’ interest in the free zone will accelerate,” Gulliver said.

He said so far PKFZ has signed up seven new tenants, bringing the total to eight.

The seven have taken up 28.4ha of land, and ten warehouses.

Industry sources have said that operations in the free zone have been slow and investor interest waning.

Gulliver said there had been a minor glitch in the lease agreement that the free zone had rectified and expects to come out with by today.

The revised lease agreement leaves out a paragraph which Gulliver said the free zone was not very comfortable with. He did not elaborate.

He also said some of its clients like Aker Kvaerner have even started shipping containers in and out of the free zone bearing its equipment.

Norwegian oil and gas company Aker Kvaerner was the first company to take up a lease at PKFZ.

Gulliver said the free zone has seen increasing interest from the oil and gas industry as well as trading companies.

He said even warehousing and storage is starting to pick up.

Port Klang Authority, the sole owner of the free zone, has allocated RM2.2 billion for the development of the free zone.

PKFZ is the first free zone in Asia-Pacific to be managed by Jafza International, the consulting and management division of Jebel Ali Free Zone Authority in Dubai.

Jafza International will manage the free zone for 15 years in which time PKA hopes to develop the right local expertise to take over the management of the free zone.

THE Port Klang Free Zone (PKFZ), a 400-ha site on Pulau Indah, has opened for business.

PKFZ general manager Noel Gulliver said today’s (November 1) opening is a soft one and the official launch is only expected to take place in the first quarter of next year.

“Investors who would like to occupy the light industry units can still come in in the next couple of days as time is needed to connect electricity and water to the units, while investors looking to lease areas in open land can straight away start work in the free zone to build their facilities once they get their approvals,” Gulliver said.

PKFZ has so far secured one major tenant, Aker Kvaerner, a Norwegian oil and gas engineering group, which has already started construction on its facilities in the free zone.

Aker Kvaerner has taken up 27.6ha or more than 10 per cent of the open land available and will be spending RM400 million to build a manufacturing centre, which will play a pivotal role in supporting its oil and gas exploration in Asia-Pacific.

“We are in the process of finalising discussions with five other serious investors to take up another 28ha,” Gulliver said.

He said another 10 investors have made enquiries to take up a total of 14 units of light industrial units or warehouses, while four companies were interested to take up office space at the office complex.

“We had many more successful discussions and are in the midst of finalising agreements with potential tenants.

“Their businesses vary from multinational companies, small-medium industries to companies dealing in distribution, value-adding and logistics services,” Gulliver said.

He expects significant contribution from the operations in the free zone in two to three years.

Port Klang Authority, the sole owner of the free zone, has allocated a sum of RM2.2 billion for the development of the free zone.

PKFZ is the first free zone in Asia-Pacific to be managed by JAFZA International, the consulting and management division of Jebel Ali Free Zone Authority in Dubai.

JAFZA International will manage the free zone for 15 years in which time PKA hopes to develop the right local expertise to take over the management of the free zone.

Paling menarik, PKFZ seluas 400 hektar itu sudah menerima pelabur pertama, Aker Kvaerner, sebuah syarikat kejuruteraan minyak dan gas Norway yang mengambil kawasan perindustrian yang dibangunkan seluas 27.6 hektar.

Aker Kvaerner akan melabur RM400 juta membina sebuah pusat pengeluaran yang memainkan peranan penting menyokong kerja cari gali minyak dan gas mereka di Asia Pasifik.

Pengurus Besar PKFZ, Noel Gulliver, berkata pihaknya kini sedang dalam proses memuktamadkan perbincangan dengan lima lagi pelabur untuk menyewa kira-kira 28 hektar kawasan di situ.

“Sepuluh lagi pelabur sudah menyatakan minat untuk menyewa 14 unit bangunan industri ringan manakala empat syarikat lagi berminat untuk menyewa kompleks pejabat,” katanya dalam satu kenyataan yang dikeluarkan di Kuala Lumpur semalam.

PKFZ yang terletak di sebelah Westports di Pulau Indah diwartakan sebagai zon bebas yang membolehkan aktiviti komersial dan pembuatan dapat berjalan serentak.

Ini bermakna kilang dan firma logistik dapat ditempatkan dalam zon yang sama untuk memudahkan penyelarasan dan melancarkan pengurusan rangkaian bekalan, menjadikan PKFZ sebagai projek pembangunan pertama seumpamanya di Malaysia iaitu sebuah zon perindustrian dan komersial bebas bersepadu.

“PKFZ akan menjadi penggerak pertumbuhan Pelabuhan Klang, yang juga Pusat Muatan Negara sementara ia akan berkembang menjadi pusat perdagangan import-eksport dengan menyediakan kemudahan setempat bagi memproses dan menambah nilai barangan dan perkhidmatan, sebelum dieskport,” kata Gulliver.

AK menyewa 27.6 hektar tanah di PKFZ dan akan melabur RM400 juta bagi mendirikan pusat pembuatan untuk menyokong aktiviti penerokaan minyak dan gasnya di Asia Pasifik.

Pengurus Besar, Port Klang Free Zone Sdn Bhd (PKFZSB), Noel Gulliver, berkata selain AK, PKFZSB juga sedang memuktamadkan perbincangan dengan lima lagi pelabur bagi menyewa 28 hektar tapak industri di PKFZ.

“Di samping itu, 10 lagi pelabur sudah menyatakan minat untuk menyewa 14 unit bangunan industri ringan manakala empat syarikat pula berminat menyewa kompleks pejabat,” katanya pada sidang akhbar selepas lawatan pihak media ke PKFZ semalam.

PKFZ yang berkeluasan 400 hektar menyediakan kemudahan empat kompleks lapan tingkat dengan ruang pejabat, pejabat PKFZSB, kompleks kastam, unit industri ringan dan tapak industri tersedia.

PKFZ yang terletak bersebelahan Westports di Pulau Indah itu sudah diwartakan sebagai zon bebas yang membenarkan aktiviti komersial dan pengilangan dilaksanakan serentak.

Ini membolehkan kilang dan firma logistik ditempatkan dalam zon yang sama bagi memudahkan penyelarasan dan pengurusan rangkaian bekalan.

Antara insentif yang disediakan di zon bebas itu termasuk pengecualian cukai, insentif eksport, insentif penyelidikan dan pembangunan (R&D), 100 peratus ekuiti asing dan 100 peratus penghantaran pulang modal dan keuntungan.

PKFZ diuruskan oleh JAFZA International bagi tempoh 15 tahun sebelum ia diambil alih tenaga tempatan.

JAFZA International sebelum ini membantu kerajaan Maghribi dan Djibouti menubuhkan inisiatif yang sama serta memiliki pengalaman lebih 20 tahun mengendali dan menguruskan zon bebas serta pelabuhan.

Gulliver berkata, PKFZ akan menjadi penggerak pertumbuhan Pelabuhan Klang sebagai entreport yang mampu menyediakan kemudahan sehenti bagi memproses dan menambah nilai barangan serta perkhidmatan sebelum ia dieksport.

“Impak PKFZ kepada Pelabuhan Klang dijangka dilihat dalam tempoh antara dua hingga tahun, terutama dalam peningkatan bilangan kontena yang dikendalikan.

“PKFZ juga akan menjadi pusat bagi syarikat yang beroperasi di Zon Bebas Jebel Ali di Dubai untuk memperluaskan perniagaan mereka ke rantau Asia Pasifik,” katanya.

PKFZ recently underwent successful power supply tests and is now busy putting the final touches to landscaping and road works.

In a statement issued on Friday, PKFZ general manager Noel Gulliver said the free zone has received much interest from potential investors.

“Since our first tenant – Aker Kvaerner, a Norwegian oil and gas engineering group, signed up in June 2006, we have had many more successful discussions and are in the midst of finalising agreements with potential tenants,” he said.

Aker Kvaerner is taking up 69 acres of open land, which is some 10 per cent of the prepared industrial land available at PKFZ.

“Apart from oil and gas companies, potential tenants are varied in their respective industries with multi-national companies, small and medium industries, distribution, value-adding and logistic services registering their interest,” said Gulliver.

The concept of the gazetted free zone is to allow both commercial and manufacturing activities to exist side by side – to promote entreport trade and manufacturing activities by international companies involved in producing goods primarily for export.

This means that factories and logistics firms can be located in the same zone to promote easier co-ordination and smoother supply chain management, making PKFZ the first development of its kind in Malaysia – an integrated free commercial and industrial zone.

Modelled after Dubai’s highly-successful Jebel Ali Free Zone, PKFZ aims to be the “Jebel Ali” of South-East Asia with competitive incentives localised according to Malaysian regulations.

Examples of incentives include tax exemptions, export incentives, research and development incentives and 100 per cent repatriation of capital and profits.

Apart from infrastructure, PKFZ will be a complete one-stop centre and a self contained community that will be equipped with trade offices, forwarding agents and other Government agencies to provide supporting services to tenants.

ZON Bebas Pelabuhan Klang (PKFZ), zon perindustrian dan komersial bersepadu pertama di negara ini, akan dibuka bulan depan.

Pengurus Besarnya, Noel Gulliver berkata, pihaknya sudah menjalankan ujian bekalan elektrik dan sedang membuat sentuhan akhir terhadap kerja berkaitan landskap dan jalan.

Beliau berkata, bekalan kuasa yang menjadi pertimbangan penting kepada pelabur lebih daripada mencukupi di PKFZ.

“Kami menyediakan bekalan tenaga 60 KVA, iaitu dua kali ganda daripada yang ada di Shah Alam,” katanya selepas menyaksikan ujian simbolik ligts up di Kompleks Kastam PKFZ, Pelabuhan Klang, semalam.

Konsep zon bebas yang diwartakan itu bertujuan membolehkan aktiviti komersial dan pembuatan dijalankan serentak, bagi mempromosi perdagangan import-eksport (entreport) dan aktiviti pekilangan oleh syarikat antarabangsa yang mengeluarkan barangan khusus untuk dieksport.

Kilang dan firma logistik dapat ditempatkan dalam zon sama untuk memudahkan penyelarasan dan melancarkan pengurusan rangkaian bekalan, menjadikan PKFZ, sebuah zon perindustrian dan komersial bersepadu, projek pembangunan pertama seumpamanya di Malaysia.

Gulliver berkata, antara kemudahan di PKFZ termasuk empat kompleks lapan tingkat dengan ruang pejabat lengkap bersama tempat letak kereta bertingkat dan ruang jualan makanan.

Perkhidmatan lain seperti bank, pejabat pos, firma guaman, syarikat logistik dan penyedia perkhidmatan lain dijangka beroperasi tidak lama lagi.

Pejabat PKFZ akan memastikan semua operasi berjalan lancar dalam kawasan zon bebas yang turut menempatkan agensi setempat sebagai perantara utama antara agensi kerajaan berkaitan dengan pihak pelabur, katanya.

Beliau berkata, kompleks kastam pula menempatkan perkhidmatan kastam serta jabatan kerajaan lain seperti perkhidmatan kesihatan dan veterinari bagi memudah penyelarasan produk.

Sementara itu, unit industri ringan mengandungi 512 unit teres pra pembinaan dan unit berkembar disedia untuk disewakan.

“Setiap unit berukuran 5,487 kaki persegi bersamaan 463 kaki persegi ruang pejabat pada kadar sewa RM18 sekaki persegi setahun.

“PKFZ turut menyediakan tapak industri yang sudah tersedia untuk disewakan kepada pelabur untuk membina bangunan mereka sendiri dengan kadar sewa RM1.80 sekaki persegi setahun, termasuk kemudahan lain seperti bekalan elektrik, pembetungan, bekalan air tekanan tinggi, sambungan jalur lebar dan talian telefon serta talian data,” katanya.

Matlamat PKFZ yang dibina mengikut model Zon Bebas Jebel Ali di Dubai bertujuan menjadikan PKFZ ‘Jebel Ali rantau Asia Tenggara’ dengan menawarkan insentif daya saing mengikut peraturan Malaysia.

Gulliver berkata, sejak penyewa pertama, Aker Kvaener, kumpulan jurutera minyak dan gas Norway memeterai perjanjian sewaan Jun lalu, PKFZ mengadakan banyak perbincangan positif dan sedang dalam proses memuktamadkan beberapa perjanjian dengan bakal penyewa.

HE soon-to-be opened Port Klang Free Zone, based on the Jebel Ali Free Zone in Dubai and recognised as the most successful free zone in the world, will boost Westports’ volume growth. CHONG POOI KOON writes.

WESTPORTS executive chairman Tan Sri G. Gnanalingam is optimistic that the group will gain from the soon-to-be opened Port Klang Free Zone (PKFZ), which will help Port Klang to double its volume growth from six million to 12 million TEUs in the next five years.

This is in line with the Government’s call for the growth of containers from 12 million TEUs to 18 million under the 9th Malaysian Plan.

The zone, a 405ha international cargo distribution and consolidation centre adjacent to Westports, will be fully operational by year-end.

Owned by Port Klang Authority, the free zone is modelled on Jebel Ali Free Zone in Dubai, recognised as the most successful free zone in the world and home to over 5,000 companies from over 120 countries.

PKFZ is managed and marketed by Jafza International, the manager of Jebel Ali Free Zone.

PKFZ is the Government’s second biggest investment in the port industry since 1990s and is developed as the country’s first fully-integrated free commercial and industrial zone.

Transport Minister Datuk Sri Chan Kong Choy said during a roadshow in Dubai recently: “PKFZ will be the Jebel Ali Free Zone of Malaysia and Southeast Asia as it is the only one being designed and developed with the expertise of Jafza International.”

He was leading a mission to Dubai earlier this month to promote logistic opportunities in Westports and PKFZ. The function was attended by over 400 shipping and maritime industry leaders there, including Salma Hareb, chief executive officer of Jafza.

Other members of the mission included Gnanalingam, Port Klang Authority (PKA) chairman Datuk Yap Pian Hon, PKA general manager Datin Paduka O.C. Phang and PKFZ managing director Noel Gulliver William.

The aim of this mission was to attract investors, manufacturers and shipping liners to come to Port Klang and be a part of PKFZ as well as participate in Malaysia’s halal initiatives in Port Klang and other parts of the country.

Chan said Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi had committed to formulating policies to ensure the most competitive business environment existed for PKFZ, and this meant PKFZ would mirror the incentives and privileges of Jebel Ali as closely as possible.

The Government recognised that the success of Jebel Ali Free Trade Area was due to the fact that it had autonomous power in all areas and aspects of operating the zone, including approvals concerning investors’ business operations.

He said the Government had agreed to explore the possibilities of replicating the system of the Jebel Ali One Stop Agency model for seamless trade facilitation.

Chan said: “If we have to relook at certain aspects of the service delivery system within the Government, we will do it. If we have to amend laws to realise this objective, we will make this happen.

“We are working in a whole new range of incentives and privileges to raise PKFZ to a level unseen before in Malaysia.”

The Government wants to simplify and speed up business procedures at the zone for a more efficient and seamless trade facilitation.

“Making a fast decision is vital,” he said.

“If foreign investors want to come in and they have to go to one department, waiting for an approval for three months and then go to another department for two months, that is frustrating.

“Making a fast decision is one area we are looking at seriously.

“We want to make sure PKFZ will be a new free zone experience for investors, both local and foreign, and we will make sure the public delivery mechanism lives up to these new expectations and standards.’

He said as PKFZ was a project of national interest, it had been given top priority by the Government and Selangor Government.

He said the Government was exploring the possibility of creating a one-stop agency, replicating Jebel Ali’s model, for seamless trade facilitation.

However, this did not mean that foreign companies coming to PKFZ could skip approvals from the Malaysian Industrial Development Authority for Foreign Investment Committee.

“PKFZ will not be identical to Jebel Ali, but will be as closely as possible. Today, we have with us here officials from the company registrar office, Mida, and Matrade. They have all been given a briefing and this information will be taken back to Malaysia and to the Prime Minister on how Jebel Ali is operated.

“We won’t change things for the sake of changing. Some of our incentives for Foreign Direct Investment under Mida, for example, are competitive and we will keep those.”

PKFZ ’s William said PKFZ had promoted the area, having signed a Norwegian firm and putting over 40 others on hold to deliberate on some issues. He said PKFZ was competing on location. “Company tax is not the real incentive here. It’s the location that makes sense.”

The zone aims to have 500 to 600 companies within seven to 10 years, creating 20,000 to 25,000 jobs.

Meanwhile, Jafza’s Hareb said the company would sell PKFZ to its over 5,000 customers.

“The partnership with PKFZ completes our network around the globe. The customers trust us and we in turn trust our partner to take good care of the customers.”