New sea route between Malaysia, China to spur investments

Malaysia will see more trade activities with China with the opening of a new sea route between the ports of Kuantan and Huizhou in the southern Guangdong province.

A memorandum of understanding (MoU) was signed to enhance cooperation and the setting up of a port alliance between Kuantan Port Authority and Huizhou Port Affairs Adminis­tration Bureau here yesterday (June 25).

Transport Minister Liow Tiong Lai, who witnessed the event at the 9th Hui Zhou World Convention at Wisma Huazong here, said the cooperation was one of the initiatives to boost trade and economy between Malaysia and China under the One Belt, One Road strategy.

“We are also strengthening our partnership in human capacity training programs,” he told a press conference, adding the first vessel was expected to ply the new route soon.

Liow said apart from working with the port authorities, Malaysia was also engaging ship liners and operators to explore more opportunities.

Some 1,500 guests of Hui Zhou clan from more than 10 countries including Canada, the United States, Holland, New Zealand, Brazil, Thai­­land and Britain attended the convention.

Also present were Chinese Ambassador to Malaysia Dr. Huang Huikang, the Federation of Chinese Associations Malaysia president Pheng Yin Huah, the Federation of Fui Chiu Association Malaysia president Lee Jin Xian and Kuantan Port Authority chairman Tengku Azlan Sultan Abu Bakar.

In his speech, Lee, who is also Kuantan Port Authority director, prai­sed Prime Minister Najib Razak for bringing the Malaysia-China relationship to a new height.

Under his leadership, he said, investments from China had shown a tremendous increase over the past three years.

To his clansmen from overseas, he introduced Najib as a liberal leader, who leads the country with moderate and practical policies.

“He fights against extremism and terrorism while advocating power-sharing concepts by all races in the common efforts of bringing peace, development and prosperity to the country and its people,” he added.

He also urged his clansmen to set up a Hui Zhou overseas Chinese park and museum to preserve the more than 2,000-year-old history of the clan and its cultural heritage.

At the event, another MoU was signed to develop 18 parcels of mining concessions in Pahang to become eco-friendly parks for green technology industries and tourism attractions between Mekar Unggul, Supreme Broadway, Vibrant Holding and Angang Machinery Development.

In another development, Liow said Malaysia would send a team of expert to check on the plane debris found in Tanzania only if it was confirmed to be from a Boeing 777.

He said the fragment, which was quite big, was the latest recovered debris linked to the missing Flight MH370.

“It is being examined. Once it is confirmed to be part of a Boeing 777 aircraft, we will send a team to take it back for further analysis,” he said.

This piece of fragment could be the biggest among those retrieved from the Indian Ocean coast so far.

Malaysia Airlines MH370, carrying 227 passengers and 12 crew, went missing en route to Beijing after taking off from KL Interna­tional Airport in March 2014.

A part of the aircraft wing called flaperon was found on the Reunion Island in the Indian Ocean more than a year later.

Liow said the other four debris found earlier this year had confirmed to be “almost certainly from MH370” while another five were being analysed.

He also clarified that earlier discoveries of several bags, including one with an Angry Bird picture, and other items found in Madagascar were not connected to MH370.