DATIN PADUKA O.C. PHANG
Datin Paduka Phang Oi Choo (O.C. Phang) started her career in the elite Malaysian Civil Service as an Administrative and Diplomatic Officer in 1971 in the General Planning unit in the Prime Minister’s Department. From years 1975 till 1977, she worked in the Public Complaints Bureau in the Prime Minister’s department and subsequently from 1978 till 1985, in the Ministry of Works as the Principal Assistant Secretary in Finance.
From May, 1985 Datin Paduka O.C .Phang worked in the Ministry of Transport (Finance Division) and then as Director/Under Secretary of the Maritime Division in the Ministry of Transport until September 1997 when she was promoted as the General Manager of Port Klang Authority.
As the General Manager of Port Klang Authority (PKA), she has successfully taken measures to enhance Port Klang’s image both locally and internationally. Under her leadership, Port Klang Authority has played an important role in the national and international arena with efforts such as organizing and hosting several international conferences and seminars such as the International Association of Ports and Harbours (IAPH) World Ports Conference held for the first time in Malaysia in 1999, the World Dredging Congress (WODCON) – 2001 held in Malaysia wherein Port Klang Authority was chosen as the Secretariat for the Eastern Asia Dredging Association (EADA) to replace Brisbane, Australia, the Terminal Operators Conference (TOC) which was also held for the first time in Kuala Lumpur in 2002 as well as initiated the Freight Forwarders Forum in 2005 and 2007. All these efforts enhance the networking opportunities of Port Klang’s maritime industry with the international players.
Datin Paduka Phang had also served as the Chairman of the Asia Pacific MOU on Port State Control (PSC) for a term of 3 years. She was also the Chairman for the Industrial Standards Committee (Packaging and Distribution) under SIRIM, Ministry of Health, Technology and Environment, Malaysia from 1998 till 2001.
She has been actively participating in international forums and organisations such as the Asean Ports Association (APA) in which she was the Chairman from 2004 till 2005. Her participation in the International Association of Ports and Harbors (IAPH) was as the Chairman of the Membership Committee from 1999 till 2002, an EXCO Member of the International Association of Ports and Harbors(IAPH) for the Asia Oceania region in the same period, the 3rd Vice President of IAPH from 2002 till 2003, the 2nd Vice President from May 2003 till May 2005 and 1st Vice President from May 2005 to May 2007. She has since been elected as the President of IAPH making her the first Malaysian and a woman to be elected as President in the history of IAPH.
