The Selangor state government has identified Port Klang as an ideal location for the next Digital Free Trade Zone which could improve the ranking of Asean’s second largest container port, said State Senior Executive Councillor Teng Chang Kim.

Teng said the DFTZ would boost Port Klang’s ranking to become the 10th largest container port in the world from its current 12th position, as it would provide local small and medium enterprises with the opportunity to export their products globally via e-commerce.

"The DFTZ will increase the capacity of twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) and thus attract more investments from global players, making Selangor a regional logistics hub," he added.

He told reporters this today after launching the inaugural Investment Forum on Logistics Industry in Shah Alam, organised by the Malaysian Investment Development Authority and Invest Selangor.

Also present were Mida Deputy Chief Executive Officer Arham Abdul Rahman and Invest Selangor Chief Executive Officer Hasan Azhari Idris.

On rumours that several investors were interested in developing Port Klang as an e-commerce hub, Teng said the state government had not received any such proposals.

"We have to wait for KLIA DFTZ to get off the ground first before we can think about Port Klang," he said.

Former prime minister Najib Razak and Alibaba group founder and executive chairman Jack Ma launched the world’s first DFTZ outside China last year. It is expected to double the growth rate of Malaysian SME exports by 2025.

Through the DFTZ, Malaysia would serve as a regional e-fulfilment centre and regional hub for SMEs, marketplaces and monobrands.

Meanwhile, in his speech, Arham said as of April 2018, Mida had approved 89 integrated logistics services projects with a total investment of RM5.9 billion.

He said 123 companies had been granted international integrated logistics services status, providing them with a freight forwarding licence.

The Investment Forum on Logistics Industry was organised to position Selangor as the logistics gateway to Asean and create awareness of government initiatives in the logistics sector.

-Bernama