Media statement by Chong Eng in Bukit Mertajam on Friday, 25^th May 2012:

First test for Teng Chang Yeow whether he dares to defend the interests of Penang

The first test for Penang Barisan Nasional's new chairman Teng Chang Yeow after he took over the office for a month is whether he dares to defend the interests of Penang people regarding the privatisation of Penang Port.

Recently, Teng Chang Yeow in his capacity as Penang Barisan Nasional's chairman announced his first project to restore free port status of Penang; as he has made a policy announcement on Penang Port, why does he make an excuse by saying that "the port is not within his purview" to avoid the issue of the privatisation of Penang Port?

On the one hand, Teng Chang Yeow announced the restoration of free port status, on the other hand he did not want to state his stand whether he agrees to grant the privatisation of Penang port to Tan Sri Syed Mokhtar's company, it is obvious that he adopts such attitude for the interests of Barisan Nasional, rather than the interests of the people.

If he puts the interests of the people first, he must state his stand on the privatisation of Penang Port; Teng Chang Yeow's reluctance to state his stand has intensified doubts and worries among the shipping and logistics operators over the plan.

Shipping and logistics operators are worried that, if the Ministry of Transport grants the privatisation right of Penang port to Tan Sri Syed Mokhtar's company Seaport Terminal (Johor) Sdn Bhd, he may not put effort to develop Penang Port as a regional hub, for the interest of another port (Johor Port) which is under his control in order to avoid competition to his Johor Port.

Currently, Penang Port has 40% of direct freight to the recipient countries, while 60% is transshipment; to be a regional shipping hub, Penang Port needs to upgrade its equipment, including the deepening of seabed from the current 12 meters to 14 meters, to allow bigger vessels to dock at the port.

The Logistics and Freight Forwarding community has voice their worry that Seaport Terminal Sdn Bhd will not turn PPSB into a regional port to compete with is PTP and in fact there are talk that Seaport will be trying to make PPSB less attractive by deploy the 6 news postpanamax crane to PTP for better use to them and send the smaller crane from Johor Port to Penang Port after the rationalize program.

In the last Parliament sitting, when replying my question on the privatisation of Penang Port, Deputy Transport Minister responded that, the privatisation contract does includes the deepening of seabed to 14 meters by the company which wins the privatisation right, a project worth about RM4 million.

If Penang Port upgrades its equipment, it will attract more manufacturers in Southern Thailand and Northern Malaysia to use it as the import and export port, otherwise, it will lose it competition with other ports in the region, which will affect the Penang state, and even the economic development in the entire Northern Malaysia; as Penang Barisan Nasional's chairman, how could Teng says it is none of his business? Doesn't he concern about the future economic development in Penang? Or, as the DAP State Assemblyman for Komtar Ng Wei Aik said, Teng is Penang Barisan Nasional's chairman in name only and merely a puppet of UMNO, thus he is unable to speak and dares not take his stand.

Therefore, it is the first test for Teng Chang Yeow as Penang Barisan Nasional's chairman whether he dares to state his stand on the privatisation of Penang Port, and adopts the people's stand based on the people-oriented principle, for the interests of Penang and Northern Malaysia's economy!

* Chong Eng, DAP Deputy Secretary General, DAP Wanita Chairperson & MP for Bukit Mertajam