JOHOR BARU: The container bearing the logo of an Israel-based shipping company is in transit at the Port of Tanjung Pelepas (PTP), says the Johor Customs Department.
Its director Aminul Izmeer Mohd Sohaimi said the port authority confirmed that the container was part of a transshipment.
“As per the normal transshipment process, the cargo will move from the port where it departed to the destination port via the third port in its scheduled trip.
“The container will transit temporarily at the third port before going on to the next destination (in) another country,” he said in a statement on Wednesday (June 5).
Aminul Izmeer added that checks by the department found that there was no movement of trade into Malaysia, either through the port’s import or export channels, using the Israeli shipping company's container.
He said PTP was the main transshipment port in Malaysia and has been gazetted as a free trade zone under the Free Zones Act 1990.
“The Royal Malaysian Customs Department... (helps control) the country’s exit and entry points. However, movement within the free trade zone is subject to the Act.
“This means that movement at such an area is under the control of the port authority, which has the rights.
"In this context, the... authority (lies with) Pelabuhan Tanjung Pelepas Sdn Bhd,” he added.
Aminul Izmeer said the department would ensure control of imports and exports, including enforcing bans on containers belonging to shipping companies from Israel imposed by the Transport Ministry.
The incident came to light when Kota Iskandar assemblyman Datuk Pandak Ahmad said he received a report claiming that the port allowed a ship with containers from Israel to dock there.
In December last year, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim announced that the government would no longer accept ships flying the Israeli flag into the country with immediate effect and prohibit any ship en route to Israel from loading cargo at Malaysian ports.
