MALAYSIA's Ministry of Transport has set a three-day deadline - from entry date to customs clearance - for all imported container goods to leave Port Klang container yard, from May 1.
Transport minister Wee Ka Siong said this would improve Port Klang's efficiency and prevent containers from piling up at the yard, reports London's Loadstar.
He added that the new measures would see freight inspected by customs officers on the first day after arrival, and the inspection reviewed the following day. By the third day, customs clearance procedures must be completed.
However, said the minister: "If the containers have to be investigated, then authorities have up to 30 days to complete the customs checks.
"In the past, the government never set deadlines for imported containers to clear customs checks, resulting in some containers being kept in the storage yard for up to five years without any importers coming to claim them."
Mr Wee said for customs clearance to be expedited, liner operators must also play their part, by submitting all necessary documentation. He added: "If this process succeeds in Port Klang, we will implement it in other ports in Malaysia."