Applications For Transshipment Business Licence In ESSZone Need To Go Through BIMP-EAGA

SANDAKAN (Sabah, Malaysia), Jan 27 (Bernama) -- The application process for transshipment licence or ship to ship transfer from east Malaysian state Sabah to the Philippines would require the recommendation of the East ASEAN Growth Area (BIMP-EAGA) which is made up of Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia and the Philippines. BIMP-EAGA chairman Roselan Johar Mohamed said the application for business licence was opened following the Sabah state government's decision to allow the transshipment business activities with the Philippines effective Feb 1 after it was suspended since April last year. He said the transshipment business activities can only be carried out in districts of Kudat, Sandakan, Lahad Datu and Tawau which fall under the East Sabah Security Zone (ESSZOne). "Before applicants send their applications to the Customs Department, they need to have a recommendation from me as the BIMP-EAGA chairman. I will only issue such recommendation letters to ethical businessmen. "The businessmen must be clean (no criminal records) or involved in any illegal activities like smuggling banned items like fertilizers containing ammonia nitrate, drugs or weapons," he said after chairing a BIMA-EAGA dialogue with Transshipment Traders in Sandakan and the Philippines, here Thursday. He said the applications would also go through a screening process from the police, National Security Council and Eastern Sabah Security Command (ESSCom). All transshipment business activities were suspended on April 6, last year, including petroleum and gas. --BERNAMA