The Minister of Transport, Datuk Seri Dr Ling Liong Sik called on transport practitioners and companies to strive for excellence in the light of the rapid pace of expansion of the transport industry in the country. 

 
“The Transport Personality Award 2001 and the Transport Company of Excellence serve as benchmarks for the achievements in the transport industry apart from giving more credence and public acknowledgement of the important developments taking place in the industry,” he said at the presentation of the Transport Industry Awards Nite in Subang Jaya last week.

  “The vast improvements recorded in the transport infrastructure of the country will stand to be highlighted by event such as the Transport Industry Awards Nite. It is indeed an effort worth commending and one that needs the support of all of us in the transport industry,” he said at the gala dinner attended by about 600 people involved and related to the transport industry.  

The Transport Industry Personality Award 2001 was awarded to the executive chairman of Westport, Tan Sri G Gnanalingam while the Transport Company of Excellence Award 2001 went to Halim Mazmin Bhd.  

  
The recipients were selected from a list of nominations received from the public by a panel of judges headed by the secretary general of the Ministry of Transport, Datuk Zahara Shaari.  

 
In the citation for the Transport Personality Award read out by the executive director of the Chartered Institute of Transport (Malaysia National Council), Major (rtd) Albert Chong said Tan Sri Datuk G Gnanalingam stands tall among men (and women) who walked the path of the transport industry in Malaysia with ideas and dreams larger than the self.  

 
“Initiated into the world of transport with his appointment to the Board Member of Port Klang Authority since 1987, Tan Sri Datuk G Gnanalingam defies conventional wisdom and thoughts.  A man lent to quickly turning challenges into opportunities, Tan Sri Datuk G Gnanalingam, became the Executive Chairman of Kelang Multi Terminal Sdn Bhd (Westport) since 1996 when Malaysia’s first green-field port was privatized. 

 Adopted “flexi-port & fast-port” approaches in advocating changes and defying conventional practices to cargo and ship handling, including by implementing integrated port charges,” the citation read.  G Gnanalingam, was also cited for “de-mystifying” general perception of the industry by the public, making ports more public-friendly and creating public-awareness and adopting “garden port concept” making Westport probably the only such port in the world.  

He was credited for introducing innovative measures to win traffic during 1997/98 financial crisis that saw Port Klang achieving positive growth as well as fostered feedering to Westport as well as for his commitment to community and welfare causes.  

 
The citation for Halim Mazmin Bhd noted that few Malaysian companies had treaded the path Halim Mazmin Bhd has “and fewer still Bumiputra companies have taken such path to success and glory in the challenging business of international shipping”.  “In the field of maritime transportation, Halim Mazmin Bhd, forged out of an alliance between Halim and his wife, Mazmin, has 21 years proven track record of profitability and performance has established standards in the industry for others to follow.  

From its humble beginning in the backwaters of Port Klang, HMB has acquired worldwide reputation with strong international links and strategic alliances with reputable international shipping companies like NYK of Japan, DSR- Senator Lines of Germany, Hanjin of Korea and Kien Hung of Taiwan,” the citation read. 

 “The success and the resilience of the Halim Mazmin Bhd, listed on KLSE (Second Board) in 1996, is best demonstrated by the fact that it is now ready to move to the Main Board of KLSE in October after having the necessary approval from regulatory agencies recently.  Halim Mazmin Bhd has impressive financial track record and credentials. It has recorded uninterrupted profit since listing.  

 
With a turn over exceeding RM90 million, and offering a high return on Shareholders’ Fund of about 18 per cent, Halim Mazmin has clearly established itself as one of the most profitable Second Board companies and remained firm on investors and shareholders’ confidence despite the violent fluctuations in the market,” the citation added.

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