PORT KLANG – The Port Klang Free Zone (PKFZ) is expected to record a 53% increase in the amount of cargo handled this year, despite the global impact of the Covid-19 pandemic.
PKFZ general manager Safuan Basir said various industries, especially the manufacturing industry, have had to reduce their production due to declining demand, resulting in an oversupply of raw materials that needed to be stored.
"This year, the total cargo handled at PKFZ is expected to increase to about 500,000 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) compared with last year's 327,000 TEUs.
"Even the storage warehouses at PKFZ are almost full," he told a press conference here today.
Present was PKFZ chairman Datuk Lawrence Low Ah Kiong, who said that the PKFZ is safe for any business activity following the introduction of strict standard operating procedures to curb the spread of Covid-19.
He said since March, only 55 positive cases had been recorded at the PKFZ, involving 51 foreign workers and four local workers.
He said the cases recorded were due to the fact that the area where the foreign workers live is close to the Perigi cluster area.
"Since November 23, no positive Covid-19 cases have been recorded here. In fact, in June and November, we instructed all 170 operators here to send their foreign workers to undergo Covid-19 swab tests.
"Only those with negative results are allowed to work. With the December 1 announcement of the targeted Covid-19 screening programme for foreign workers, we will ensure that operators here comply with the instructions," he said.
Low added that there are a total of 6,500 workers at the PKFZ, of which 2,700 are foreigners. – Bernama, December 10, 2020
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