UUM plans to open shops to public and have CIQ on campus

ALOR SETAR: Universiti Utara Malaysia (UUM) plans to set up a duty-free zone in its main campus in Sintok.
UUM vice-chancellor Prof Dr Mohamed Mustafa Ishak said that if the idea received Cabinet approval, UUM would be the first university in the country to have such a facility on its campus.
He said the idea was still being discussed in detail by the Higher Education and Finance ministries.
“It involves legal and technical aspects and we hope to have the proposal ready before the 2012 Budget in October. If approved, we hope to start the project next year,” he said yesterday.
Dr Mohamed Mustafa said the outlets at the duty-free zone would sell various types of products except cigarettes and liquor.
He said UUM had identified an area within the campus for the project.
Dr Mohamed Mustafa said the duty-free zone would be open to the public as the university also planned to build a Customs, Immigration and Quarantine complex (CIQ) in the area.
He said the area earmarked for the zone and the CIQ complex was located about 2km from the Malaysia-Thai border.
Dr Mohamed Mustafa also said the duty-free zone was part of the university’s four strategies in its transformation plan to become a world-class university in management and research and development by 2013.
He said the proposal had received positive reaction from entrepreneurs who were keen to take part in the project.