Local companies urged to capitalise on air cargo industry

Transport Minister, Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai said Alibaba Group founder Jack Ma "has come here" and took a big space at KLIA cargo area, in an apparent reference to the Digital Free Trade Zone initiative.

Speaking to reporters after launching the Renesas Electronics Kuala Lumpur Global Parts Distribution Centre here today, he said space is in short supply now as many other companies are also eager to invest here.

"Don't wait and see, come quickly," Liow told local companies.

He said he had already told Malaysia Airports Holdings Bhd to give priority to local companies which needed space in the cargo area.

"We are in a very exciting milestone to make Malaysia as the ASEAN logistics hub as we have never seen so much interest in KLIA Cargo after Jack Ma, and now Japanese company, Renesas, came here, while many local companies are expanding here," he said.

On Renesas Electronics distribution centre, Liow said the effort by company and Tasco Bhd to establish the centre took three years and 300 new staff had been recruited and trained for cargo handling at the facility.

"The opening of this centre is not just a milestone event for Tasco but also for the logistics industry in Malaysia as it marks a new standard for other companies to benchmark," he added.

He said that Tasco also was planning to venture into cold chain for food and beverage industry.

"That's an area where we need support as well, as a lot of vegetables and flowers from Cameron Highlands are sent through Singapore, not KLIA, because we do not have a good cold chain system in Malaysia," he added.