MAHB to Be Penang Airport FCZ Authority

By Marina Emmanuel

AIRPORT operator Malaysia Airports Holdings Bhd (MAHB) will replace Malaysia Airlines (MAS) as the zone authority of the Penang International Airport Free Commercial Zone (FCZ) next month.

It is learnt that the Ministry of Finance (MOF) has authorised MAHB to take over the management of the FCZ from the national carrier effective January 1.

It is also learnt that the MOF has amended the Free Zones Act 1990 to empower MAHB to collect a RM5 cargo processing fee.

“MAHB has received the government’s nod to manage the FCZ in Penang airport, and the deal is expected to rake in an estimated collection of RM8 million per year from the RM5 processing fee which will be imposed per cargo transaction,” a source told Business Times yesterday.

MAHB officials could not be reached for comment.

MAHB senior general manager of operations, Datuk Azmi Murad, is understood to have met last week with MOF officials, freight forwarders, aviation authorities and users of the FCZ in Penang airport to inform them of MAHB’s new role and the processing fee, which will take effect on January 1.

The freight forwarders are set to call for a meeting soon between representatives of the Federation of Malaysian Manufacturers (northern region), the Free Trade Zone Penang Companies’ Association and members from various chambers of commerce to seek their views on the fee.

“The trade representatives will be briefed on the fact that the cost of doing business will rise with the imposition of the new fee by MAHB,” the source said.

MAS was appointed by the government to manage the FCZ in 1996.

The FCZ covers 5.78ha comprising the Penang Cargo Centre, four main blocks of agents warehouse, airline offices, one open-shed cargo built-up area and a newly-built additional import warehouse.

It handles large quantities of manufactured high-technology goods on a daily basis, which are shipped out by some of the world’s top technology giants such as Intel, Motorola, Dell, Seagate, AMD, Agilent Technologies and Osram Optoelectronics.

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