Johore State Govt, Others Aware Of STS Transfer Hub Development - Dr Mahathir

PUTRAJAYA, April 2 (Bernama) - The Johor state government as well as other parties should be well aware of the development of the Ship-to-Ship (STS) Transfer Hub in the Johor Baharu Port waters, said Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad. He said he met Johor Chief Minister Osman Sapian Monday, with the latter raising questions about the project, that is slated to be the world’s largest STS hub. “So, I think he (the Menteri Besar) knows about the project which will benefit Malaysia. I do not think there is anyone who wants Malaysia to lose out by siding with others,” he told reporters after witnessing the signing ceremony between KA Petra Sdn Bhd and Hutchison Port Holdings Ltd here Tuesday. Under the heads of agreement signed between the two companies, KA Petra and Hutchison will develop the STS, at an estimated cost of between US$150 million-US$180 million. Dr Mahathir was responding to Johor Crown Prince Tunku Ismail Sultan Ibrahim’s post on social media Monday, where he shared that the federal government had not consulted the state government over the matter, while linking the STS project to certain government leaders and cronies. “The Tengku Mahkota Johor does not know about it, although he lives in Johor, but a lot of Johoreans know (about the project) and I am surprised that he does not. “Everyone in Malaysia is my crony, because I work for everybody, including Johoreans,” he added. He said he was keen to know if the Johor state government would decline the STS project, as he had not receive any official statement from it. On the issue of overlapping port claims by Malaysia and Singapore, Dr Mahathir explained that the STS project has been made-known to the republic as a courtesy, and its location was within Malaysian waters. Meanwhile, KA Petra will have a 70 per cent interest in the project, with Hutchison taking a strategic 30 per cent stake. The construction of 1,214.06-hectare STS hub would be done in phases with the commencement expected within the next 12 months. The STS will have the capacity to store nine million metric tonnes of petroleum products. -- BERNAMA