KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 20 (Bernama) -- The Port Klang Authority (PKA) has agreed to implement the recommendations made by the Corporate Governance Ad Hoc Committee on the PKFZ project.

PKA Chairman Datuk Lee Hwa Beng said the decision was made by the PKA Board of Directors in a meeting yesterday.

"This will be done with the assistance of Datuk Paul Low, President of Transparency International, Malaysia who is also the Chairman of the Governance ad-hoc Committee on the PKFZ Project set up by PKA.

"Furthermore Low who sits in PKA's Board in an advisory capacity has been asked to present further details at PKA's next board meeting in December for us to embark on initiation of these recommendations," Lee said in a statement here today.

The Special Task Force on the Port Klang Free Zone (PKFZ) Development Project, led by the Chief Secretary to the Government Tan Sri Sidek Hassan, yesterday agreed that the Transport Ministry ask PKA Directors to consider the recommendations made by the committee.

Among the recommendations made are the creation of the Ethics and Integrity Monitoring Committee and the appointment of independent non-executive members who would constitute one-third of the PKA Board of Directors.

Towards better governance it also recommended a review of the composition of the directors on the PKA Board from the Federal statutory bodies and government companies (Finance Minister Incorporated) and GLCs (Government-Linked Corporations), and a review of the relevant laws.

The task force also agreed with the recommendation that the PKA focused on its role as a regulatory body and not be involved in business activities such as the PKFZ.

With regards to the appointment of independent and non-executive members on PKA Board, Lee said PKA was seriously seeking to fill two more positions on the board with candidates with the relevant expertise, knowledge and experience.

Currently, there is only one independent Director, Datuk M Rajasingam, who was formerly the General Manager of PKA from 1991-1997.

Lee said Transport Minister Datuk Seri Ong Tee Keat had also directed PKA to organise a seminar on Corporate Governance together with Transparency International Malaysia next year.

The seminar will involve all the port authorities in Malaysia while industry players will also be invited to participate in the event.