| Azlan Othman |
THE President of the Brunei Freight Forwarders Association (BRUFA), Thomas Koh, said the Brunei Darussalam-Indonesia-Malaysia-Philippines East Asean Growth Area (BIMP-EAGA) plays a vital role where Brunei could tap into and become a distribution hub in this sub-region.
In an interview with the Bulletin yesterday on the sidelines of their meeting with the visiting Thailand Trucking and Logistics Association delegation at The Centrepoint Hotel, Thomas Koh said several dialogues have been carried-out with the relevant agencies in identified areas where the logistics industry can support, and in turn, be supported by the relevant agencies and importers.
“One example is where the Royal Customs and Excise Department of the Ministry of Finance initiated the 24/7 clearance of container and goods at Muara Port and the airport cargo terminal,” he said. “This initiative will set a chain reaction where freight forwarders and importers will not just plan delivery and accept containers and goods during office hours, but could even plan their delivery and accept goods beyond office hours… With this, I can see that Brunei’s borders will not only be an easy access to containers but further enhance the ease of getting containers and goods. This effort will incur additional deployment of assets, indicating the Brunei Government’s effort to ease business trading in Brunei.”
The BRUFA President also called upon its SME members to further enhance their equipment and facilities in order to cater to the new era of the logistics industry.
Member of Legislative Council and the Chairman of Sabli Food YB Haji Abdul Hamid @ Sabli bin Haji Arshad, President of the Brunei Freight Forwarders Association (BRUFA), Thomas Koh and Deputy Director-General of the Department of Land Transport of Thailand, Kamol Buranapong.
The Thailand Trucking & Logistics Association delegation with BRUFA members led by its President, Thomas Koh (7th from left, back row). – PHOTOS: ROKIAH MAHMUD
“Logistics play an important role in businesses, facilitating FDI and in establishing manufacturing, processing and even value-added products. Importers now should also take note that container and goods can be cleared and delivered 24/7. We need to have more quality, efficiency and be more competitive in services,” he added.
Also present at the meeting yesterday was a new Legislative Council member and the Chairman of Sabli Food, YB Haji Abdul Hamid @ Sabli bin Haji Arshad. The Thailand Trucking and Logistics Associations Trade delegation to Brunei Darussalam was led by the Deputy Director-General of the Department of Land Transport of Thailand, Kamol Buranapong.
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