Kuala lumpur: The Ministry of Investment, Trade and Industry (MITI) is considering incentives for investors that maximise the use of local ports, particularly in Penang and Kuala Perlis. Deputy Minister Liew Chin Tong said the initiative aims to encourage greater use of domestic ports, especially among investors operating around Kedah Rubber City (KRC).

According to BERNAMA News Agency, MITI is prepared to evaluate and propose to the Ministry of Finance the introduction of incentives or other measures to enhance the utilisation of local ports. This statement was made by Liew in response to a supplementary question from Nurul Amin Hamid (PN-Padang Terap) at the Dewan Rakyat. The question addressed the ministry’s steps to promote the use of domestic ports for importing machinery and construction materials during factory development, and for exporting goods once operations commence.

KRC, located in Kuala Nerang, Kedah, is one of the flagship projects under the Northern Corridor Economic Region (NCER). It focuses on the rubber-based industry and is expected to drive economic growth in the northern region. In response to an original question regarding potential cooperation with Thailand to facilitate investor access to Songkhla Port via the Durian Burung checkpoint, Liew stated that the government’s current priority is to optimise the use of domestic ports, particularly those in Penang and Kuala Perlis.

Liew emphasized that this strategy aligns with the government’s goal to strengthen the competitiveness of local ports while ensuring that economic benefits are fully enjoyed by industry players and local communities. He also highlighted Malaysia’s commitment to strengthening strategic cooperation with Thailand through existing platforms like the Malaysia-Thailand Joint Trade Committee (JTC). Both nations have agreed to enhance trade facilitation, which includes improvements to infrastructure, logistics systems, and procedures at border checkpoints. These efforts aim to expedite customs clearance processes and reduce the time and cost of cross-border shipments.