THE time is ripe for a supply chain and logistics management university, a new venture that the Port Klang Free Zone (PKFZ) is planning with local institutions and those in Japan and Germany.

PKFZ chairman Lawrence Low told The Malaysian Insight that the logistics industry is becoming increasingly important, especially with the growth of e-commerce.

Given this, he said, PKFZ is seeking local and international varsities’ cooperation with the aim of establishing a supply chain and logistics university.

“Our main partners are Tasco, a subsidiary of the Nippon Yusen Kabushiki Kaisha Group, Kuhne Logistics University in Hamburg, Germany, and Malaysia’s own Tunku Abdul Rahman University College.”

The idea for such an institution was first mooted by Loo Hooi Keat, CEO of Swift Group, which is one of the country’s fastest-growing logistics providers.

Swift has proposed that a campus be set up within six months to a year, subject to conditions under movement restrictions to curb the spread of Covid-19.

“We could not go to Germany to do the needful due to the movement-control order, and the other party could not come to Malaysia to sign a memorandum of understanding,” said Low.

“PKFZ has reserved space for the university, which is expected to attract students from Southeast Asia and the Middle East within a year of its establishment.”

It is targeting an enrolment of 600 from these regions in its first three years of operation.

“We will offer bachelor’s, master’s and doctorate programmes, with the aim of training logistics management talent,” said Low.

“Supply chain and logistics are a form of science. They include logistics and operation management, problem-solving with statistical methods, supply chain management, procurement and inventory management, warehouse and warehouse technology, and transportation technology and management, among others.”

He said China Ocean Shipping Company Ltd will provide short-term diploma certification courses and offer jobs to graduates with a minimum monthly salary of US$1,000 (RM4,100).

One of the advantages of setting up a logistics university in PKFZ is that students will be able to apply their theoretical knowledge and get field training, he said.

Low, who was appointed PKFZ chairman on May 18, described his stint so far as a race against time.

The PKFZ board used to meet on a quarterly basis, but now, meetings are held monthly to discuss ongoing developments and the future of the trans-shipment hub.

After the financial scandal surrounding its initial development, the free-trade zone has been profitable for the last five years and is gearing up for expansion.

PKFZ plans to work with the Alibaba Group and Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation to establish a digital free-trade zone.

Low said transportation via shipping lines is more cost-effective than air freight today.

Additionally, significant improvements have been made to Malaysia’s sea freight, port equipment and distribution lead time. – September 7, 2020.