GEORGE TOWN: Former Penang Port Commission (PPC) chairman Jeffrey Chew is expected to be re-appointed to his post, according to sources.
The position has been vacant for about two months.
Current Port Klang Authority (PKA) assistant general manager V. Vijayaindiaran is expected to be appointed as PPC general manager.
Vijayaindiaran, 49, has been in PKA for 24 years.
The post has been vacant since its previous general manager Monaliza Suhaimi was appointed the general manager of Johor Port Authority in late March.
Chew and Vijayaindiaran declined to comment on their expected appointments.
Chew, 55, was appointed PPC chairman from 2018 to 2020 when the Pakatan Harapan government took over Putrajaya, but stepped down after the collapse of the government.
He was the deputy general manager of Penang Development Corporation from 2015 to 2018.
The PPC chairmanship was then held by MCA vice-president Datuk Tan Teik Cheng in 2020 and his service ended in February.
A source said: "Two urgent issues in Penang Port are the North Butterworth Container Terminal masterplan and the future of the Penang ferry service, which can move forward with fresh decisions from the PPC board."
Under the Transport Ministry Act, the PPC chairman is appointed by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong and recommended by the Transport Minister and approved by the Prime Minister.
PPC was set up on Jan 1, 1956, to administer Penang Port, which was a crucial sea transport hub for containers, liquid bulk cargo, dry bulk cargo and general cargo, not just for the northern region in Malaysia, but also for southern Thailand.
On Jan 1, 1994, the port's operation was privatised to Penang Port Sdn Bhd, which was part of tycoon Tan Sri Syed Mokhtar Al-Bukhary's empire.
