KUALA LUMPUR: The Israeli shipping containers at Johor's Tanjung Pelepas Port were not used to export or import goods, said the Johor Customs Department.
Its director, Aminul Izmeer Mohd Sohaimi, said this referred to claims about the presence of Israeli shipping containers at the port.
"Port authorities have confirmed that these containers were transshipment containers, which is a process of moving goods permitted by the Transport Ministry.
"For transshipment goods, the cargo moves from a departing port to a destination port via a third port.
"These containers transit temporarily at the third port and proceed to the next destination (another country)."
He added, however, that movement in the free zone was subject to the Free Zone Act 1990 and under the control of the authorities in that zone.
In this context, the free zone authority was Pelabuhan Tanjung Pelepas Sdn Bhd, the main transshipment port in Malaysia.
This port is designated as a free trade zone under the above act.