BATU PAHAT: The Johor state government plans to legitimise jetties in the state especially those operating without licences and are involved in import and export activities.
Chairman of the Johor Works, Transport and Infrastructure Committee, Mohd Solihan Badri said there were hundreds of unregistered jetties in the state which were conducting such activities every day.
He said these include fishery, barter trade and even passenger jetties which faced many risks including accidents if they were allowed to continue operating.
“We plan to build a central jetty in each district where safety is a priority and unhealthy activities such as smuggling from neighbouring countries are curtailed.
“At the same time, it would monitor and stop the arrival of illegal immigrants at the entry points in this state through the existing illegal jetties,” he told reporters after visiting the jetties in the district here today.
Also present was the chairman of the Johor Health, Culture and Heritage Committee, Mohd Khuzzan Abu Bakar.
Solihan added that at present, only the passenger jetties were registered with the authorities.
The process of legitimising the other jetties will be carried out this year, he said.
“This is because there isn’t a good system for these jetties, for instance in the Batu Pahat district, there are about 40 jetties, but only four have the permit to operate,” he said.
Meanwhile, Mohd Khuzzan said from the health aspect, he supported the construction of the centralised jetties as the Johor Health Department did not have a specific area to conduct sampling of goods which were delivered to the jetties.
“For instance in the Batu Pahat area which is one of the major entry points for the import of coconuts into this country, in 2017 alone there were 1,800 consignments of coconuts imported from Sumatera, Indonesia through here as well as food items like meat, white coconuts, brown sugar, mussels and others.
“With the central jetties, it would be easier for us to carry out sampling as well as other safety measures such as equipment use,” he said. — Bernama
