PETALING JAYA: The government has set aside RM327 million to develop the Perlis Inland Port (PIP), which has been earmarked as a strategic logistics hub with a transportation network extending as far as Laos.
Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said the PIP is among the main projects under the Malaysia-Thailand Border Economic Zone, aimed at boosting cross-border trade and improving regional logistic connectivity.
He was responding to Adnan Abu Hassan (BN-Kuala Pilah) who asked about the expected economic benefits for Malaysia from the initiative.
Separately, Anwar said the logistics cluster at PIP aims to have a handling capacity of 300,000 20-foot equivalent units in its first phase, before expanding in subsequent phases to accommodate regional trade growth.
He said the PIP initiative would be complemented by several other strategic projects in the northern region, including the Chuping Valley Industrial Area in Perlis, Kulim Hi-Tech Park in Kedah, Bukit Kayu Hitam, and Kedah Rubber City.
Anwar said the integrated development is expected to improve supply chain efficiency, attract more investments, and strengthen Malaysia’s position as a trade gateway to Indochina.
He said Malaysia and Thailand are also targeting an increase in bilateral trade through the BEZ, including by facilitating export routes and easing customs procedures to accelerate the movement of goods to markets such as Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam.
He said the move would create greater opportunities for the country’s fisheries and agriculture sectors to penetrate regional markets without the customs constraints that previously hindered the flow of trade.
On a related matter, Anwar said the construction of the Sungai Golok bridge and development in Rantau Panjang would serve as catalysts for local economic growth.
“We have proposed to the state government that the area around Rantau Panjang be developed in terms of trade, businesses, and small-scale enterprises, especially among the Malay Bumiputera community.”
He said the initiative would also be supported by the East Coast Rail Link project, with the federal government deciding that the rail line would be extended from Tumpat to Rantau Panjang and onwards to the Malaysia-Thailand border.
Anwar said that in his discussions with Thai prime minister Anutin Charnvirakul, Malaysia had also proposed that the railway line be connected to Thailand using the same alignment currently being studied by the transport ministry.
