KOTA KINABALU: Deputy Chief Minister III and Sabah Minister of Industrial Development, Entrepreneurship and Transport, Datuk Ewon Benedick, said the 24-hour operating hours currently implemented by government agencies at the Sepanggar Bay Container Port are being carried out on an overtime (OT) basis, based on requests from port users.

He said the arrangement involves government agencies including the Royal Malaysian Customs Department (JKDM), which is responsible for the container clearance process.

However, he said the Sabah Government’s application to gazette the Sepanggar Bay Container Port to allow 24-hour operations is still awaiting approval from the Malaysian Ministry of Finance (MOF).

“One of the 10 Interim Action Plans agreed upon by the Sabah State Cabinet is the coordination of 24-hour working hours by government agencies involved in the container clearance process.

“At present, the 24-hour operations are being carried out on an overtime (OT) basis by government agencies, including the Royal Malaysian Customs Department (JKDM), based on requests from port users.

“However, the application to gazette the Sepanggar Bay Container Port for 24-hour operations by the Sabah Government is still awaiting approval from the Ministry of Finance Malaysia,” he said in a statement today.

Ewon said he had also explained the matter when answering media questions at a press conference during the Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) Convention in Kudat recently.

He said the implementation of 24-hour operating hours is among the 10 Interim Action Plans agreed upon by the Sabah Cabinet to address congestion at the Sepanggar Bay Container Port.

He said the congestion stems from the limited existing container storage area, while awaiting the port expansion project, which currently has an extension of time (EOT) until October 2027.

According to him, the implementation of the 10 action plans is monitored and coordinated by a Task Force that he chairs.

“This Task Force comprises various government agencies and departments, associations representing port users, as well as the concession company and port operators.

“The task force monitors the coordinated implementation of the 10 Interim Action Plans to address the congestion issue caused by the limited existing container storage area,” he said.

In a related development, Ewon said the provision of a container trailer transit parking area by the Kota Kinabalu Industrial Park (KKIP) is also one of the 10 action plans.

He said the transit parking area has been opened and is now being used by container trailer service companies.

He therefore urged all container trailer service companies to use the facility provided and to stop parking their trailers on road shoulders.