KUALA TERENGGANU, July 1 (Bernama) -- The Terengganu state government should consider making Kemaman port the trading hub for goods from the Asian region for the East Coast market.

The Terengganu Malay Chamber of Commerce, in making the call, said the port at Teluk Kalong was seen as the most strategic location for the purpose.

"As a state which relies on the output of crude oil, the trading hub can be seen as new source of income for Terengganu when the oil runs out," said the chamber president Datuk Tengku Ismail Tengku Jaafar.

He said this when met at a seminar here today to promote the China-Asean Expo 2010 which will be held in Nanning, Guangxi, China, in October this year.

Also present were Malaysia External Trade Development Corporation (Matrade) eastern regional office director Hasziah Mohd Yazid and the expo secretariat deputy secretary Gong Qijun.

Tengku Ismail said when compared to ports like Port Klang in Selangor or Pasir Gudang in Johor, Kemaman port was the closest to countries like China, Hong Kong and Vietnam.

"Obviously, the goods imported from these countries can be sold cheaper due to the lower cost if send through Kemaman compared to ports in the south or the West Coast," he said, adding that the move would also benefit people in the East Coast.

Tengku Ismail, who is also on the Terengganu Entrepreneur Development Foundation (YPU) board, said the foundation was preparing a working paper on the proposal which would be submitted to the state government for consideration soon.

"If the state government agrees, it can become the first such trading hub on the East Coast. The infrastructure cost is expected to exceed RM50 million. The warehouses and inland port can be located in an area of 200 to 300 acres," he said.

According to Tengku Ismail, the proposal is line with the development plan of the East Coast Economic Region (ECER) as a catalyst for a more dynamic economic sector in the states involved.

"It will also help to produce more Bumiputera entrepreneurs in the long term," he said.

-- BERNAMA