Oleh/By : DATO' SERI DR. MAHATHIR BIN MOHAMAD
Tempat/Venue : OSHIMA SHIPYARD, JAPAN
Tarikh/Date : 20/05/95
Tajuk/Title : THE NAMING CEREMONY FOR BUNGA MELOR
TIGA AND BUNGA MELOR EMPAT
I am delighted to be with you today on the occasion of
this naming ceremony for two new bulk carriers of the
Malaysian International Shipping Corporation (MISC). I
would like to thank the Chairman and Board of MISC for
inviting my wife and I to officiate at this function.
2. While the addition of a new ship to the fleet of the
national shipping line is always a significant occasion, the
addition of two new ships at the same ceremony is indeed a
red-letter day for MISC and for Malaysia.
3. I am pleased to note that the Board of MISC is
maintaining a bold policy of fleet expansion in response to
calls by the Government to increase growth in the number of
Malaysian-owned and operated ocean-going ships. This is
vital if Malaysia is to become a maritime nation.
4. I therefore would like to congratulate the Board for
their courage to invest in these expensive new ships, an
indication of their commitment to the national interest.
5. Shipping, particularly international shipping, is
marked by intense competition, and subject to cyclical highs
and troughs. As shipping is also capital-intensive, there
is a need to periodically invest in new ships to provide and
maintain a level of service that shippers have come to
expect. And this is obviously not an area for the
faint-hearted to venture into.
6. Malaysia has undergone and is undergoing dramatic
changes in its economic activity. From a largely
agricultural economy which was heavily dependent on the
production and export of primary commodities in the raw with
practically no added value, we have now developed into an
economy where industrial manufacturing activity is now a
major source of national income. Industrialisation in
Malaysia is gathering pace at a very satisfying rate and we
are now faced with a situation where we need to quickly
increase our shipping capacity in order not to be too
dependent on foreign shipping with the consequent loss of
earnings.
7. In order to assist Malaysian shipowners, the Government
has established a Shipping Fund of RM800 million which has
recently been increased to RM1.1 billion. The Fund is
intended to encourage new participants and expansion in the
Malaysian shipping industry. The fund will enable eligible
local shipping companies to expand and raise the national
sea-borne carrying capacity to meet the growth of exports
following the rapid pace of industrialisation.
8. The two ships we are naming at today's ceremony are
bulk carriers. Bulk carriers by their very nature are
intended to engage in cross-trading. They carry goods to
and from different parts of the globe and may not call at
Malaysian ports on a regular basis or even for long periods
of time.
9. The bulk trade is an area of shipping which does not
generally receive much publicity. Bulk carriers may be
termed as the work-horses of the shipping industry and due
to the nature of the trade, they usually do not present a
glamorous image. However, these ships are the most
efficient and economical mode of transporting iron ore,
coal, steel and other minerals in bulk between nations for
their industrial activities. While bulk ships may not be
directly involved in supporting industrial activity in
Malaysia, they serve a very important function as the income
they earn can help to off-set the growing current account
deficit in the service industry and so contribute to
national earnings.
10. I understand that with the delivery of these two bulk
carriers, MISC will achieve an important milestone as its
fleet tonnage reaches 2 million deadweight tons. This
represents approximately 70 per cent of the national
deadweight tonnage.
11. I hope that MISC will continue to grow and play a
leading role in the development of the national fleet to
meet the goals and aspirations of Malaysia's vision to
achieve developed nation status by the year 2020.
12. The timely completion of Bunga Melor Tiga and Bunga
Melor Empat is, of course, indicative of the skills of
Oshima Shipyard. At the same time it may also be regarded
as yet another illustration of the efficiency of the
Japanese shipbuilding industry which has come to be widely
recognised and appreciated for its fine quality work and
high standards of construction.
13. I have been told that the establishment of a shipyard
in this island was the result of a Government programme to
eradicate poverty in the region. The obvious success of
Oshima Shipyard is a clear indication that deliberate
planning together with cooperation by the people can bring
about prosperity to a region. This must be a source of much
satisfaction to all those involved in the project.
14. I would like to thank the Board of MISC once again for
their kind invitation and for according my wife the honour
of naming Bunga Melor Tiga and Bunga Melor Empat. I would
also like to thank the Chairmen and Presidents of Oshima
Shipbuilding Company and Sumitomo C orporation for the warm
hospitality extended to me and my wife during our stay here.
15. I wish all who sail in Bunga Melor Tiga and Bunga Melor
Empat a safe voyage.
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