Israeli containers were found in the Johor port while in transit under the Free Trade Zone

JOHOR BAHRU: The Johor Customs Department verified that the container at the Port of Tanjung Pelepas (PTP) in Iskandar Puteri, which is emblazoned with the insignia of the Israeli shipping company Zim, is a transshipment cargo container that uses Malaysia as a third-party transit port under the Free Trade Zone.

The director of the Johor Customs Department, Aminul Izmeer Mohd Sohaimi, stated that the container was authorised by the Transport Ministry and was in the process of moving goods, according to confirmation from the relevant port authorities.

He clarified that the goods will travel from the outgoing port to the destination port and pass via a third port as part of the regular transshipment process.

“On the way to its next location in a different nation, the container will make a brief stopover in the third port.

He released a statement saying, “According to the Customs Department’s review, there hasn’t been any movement of trade into Malaysia, either through the exit or entry (import and export) ports using the said shipping company’s container.”

Aminul Izmeer was making remarks about containers belonging to an Israeli shipping business that had been previously seen at the PTP in Johor.

Reports of the containers’ arrival sparked concerns over Malaysia’s policy of not having economic agreements or diplomatic ties with Israel.

According to Aminul Izmeer, PTP, the second port in Johor and the primary transshipment port in Malaysia, is a cargo transfer port that was designated as a Free Trade Zone under the Free Zones Act of 1990.

“Control at the nation’s entry and exit points is the responsibility of the Johor Customs Department, which also has the authority to enforce the Transport Ministry’s prohibitions on Israeli shipping companies’ containers.

But he said, “Moving within the free zone is governed by the Free Zones Act 1990 and subject to the Port Tanjung Pelepas Sdn Bhd, which is the zoning authority.”

Assemblyman Datuk Pandak Ahmad of Kota Iskandar was reportedly shocked when he heard on Saturday that worried locals had alleged the port was still accepting Israeli containers.

He claimed that locals had questioned the need for the containers.

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim declared in December of last year that the government would not allow ships flying the Israeli flag to enter the nation going forward and that any ship travelling to Israel would not be allowed to load cargo at Malaysian ports.

He announced that Zim Integrated Shipping Services Ltd, an Israeli shipping business, has had its vessels barred from docking at any Malaysian port by the government.

Following that, Zim was required to remove its 4,000 transshipment containers that had become stranded as a result of the prohibition, according to Transport Minister Anthony Loke.