Perak to have its own Port Authority

Perak will establish its own Port Authority to enable the state government to collect revenue from port operations.

Menteri Besar, Datuk Seri Dr Zambry Abdul Kadir said the proposal had already been submitted to the Federal Government.

"I have also conveyed our intention to the Transport Minister (Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai).

"Perak has a long coastline and many big and small ports, yet it does not have control over the operations and revenue," he told reporters after presenting excellence awards to 68 civil servants here Tuesday.

He said the state government was not able to reap the returns from the ports as it did not have a Port Authority of its own.

"Port authorities are under the jurisdiction of the federal government as provided for under the law.

"Revenue from one port operation can reach around RM20 million but at the moment we cannot collect that," he said.

He said a special team led by Industry, Investment and Corridor Development Committee chairman Datuk Mohamad Zahir Abdul Khalid had been entrusted to draw up the model for the proposed body.