THE Northern Corridor Implementation Authority (NCIA) is committed to making Penang the next logistics hub and a dynamic import and export gateway for the Northern Corridor Economic Region (NCER).

NCIA chief executive Datuk Redza Rafiq cited the second Penang bridge, Penang International Airport expansion, Penang Sentral Integrated Transport Hub, Penang Port expansion and Ipoh-Padang Besar double tracking rail projects that would make Penang a main hub for export.

“As such, we strongly believe that Penang has great potential to be developed further into a modern, integrated and green transport and logistics hub.

“This will benefit not only the state but the NCER as a whole,” he said at the inaugural NCIA Public Forum entitled ‘Revisiting, Reviving and Refocusing NCER: Implications on Transport and Logistics’ at Wawasan Open University in Penang on Thursday.

The forum, jointly organised with Socio-Economic and Environmental Research Institute, attracted about 200 participants from government agencies, industry players especially from the logistics industry and university students.

Redza said transport and logistics were crucial and function as key enablers to transform the region into an economic powerhouse.

“They enhance connectivity networks and linkages to spur domestic and international business activity, trading, investment and tourism, besides supporting the industrialisation process.” he said.

With improved transport and logistics services across industries, goods, services and people could move faster domestically and globally, he noted.

“This in turn would help to attract more investment in the NCER, making it a region of choice not only for investors but also tourists, high net worth individuals and skilled talent,” he said.

He added that the Federal Government had taken steps to improve public transportation such as the Land Public Transport Commission (SPAD) to carry out initiatives under the National Key Result Area (NKRA) for urban public transport.

“The people can thus look forward to improved public transportation facilities and services in the near future,’ he added.

Associate professor Dr Anthony Chin from the National University of Singapore, who is also an Associate Professor of Transport Academy and principal researcher with the university’s Centre for Transportation research, was the forum’s guest speaker.

He spoke on subjects concerning Malaysia’s trade competitiveness in relation to logistics and transport facilitation covering maritime, aviation and land modes.

He also suggested ways for the NCER to boost growth, such as by cultivating high value cash crops like the virgin coconut oil, which was highly valued in urban and export markets.

SOURCE: The Star