Airfreight forwarders plan boycott over RFID impasse

Airfreight forwarders are planning to boycott the so-called secured trade system using radio frequency identification (RFID) seals, which was supposed to go live on Saturday, as they felt that the revised agreement drafted by its promoter was lopsided.

The new system, undertaken by the Royal Malaysian Customs and Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) to enhance container security, has hit a snag with association Airfreight Forwarders of Malaysia (AFAM) calling upon its members not to sign up for the new system until negotiations with project vendor Smartag Solutions Bhd are resolved.

“You may proceed with the rollout of the RFID tags but without the signing of the ‘new’ version of the agreement,” according to a letter from AFAM to Smartag, obtained by The Malaysian Reserve.

It is understood that AFAM decided on the boycott as Smartag had allegedly ignored feedback the airfreight forwarders made through the industry body.

“Smartag is high-handed and arrogant. In the agreement, they can do whatever they want, and terminate an agreement whenever they want,” said AFAM chairman Walter Cullas.

AFAM had also questioned the need for the RM2,000 deposit to Smartag. With some 3,000 members, this would come up to RM6 million.

In his response to The Malaysian Reserve, Smartag chief executive officer Lim Peong Keong said the company was fully aware of the “teething problems” of the system’s implementation.

“The user agreement was drafted taking into consideration the terms and conditions of the main agreement with Customs and the need to protect some of the costly hardware against willful damage by users,” he said.

Lim added that the company is gathering feedback from users and plans to engage all related parties to resolve the matter.

“Objections on the terms and conditions of user agreement are understandable and there're still room for further discussion,” he said.

Smartag is a track and trace solution provider that utilises RFID and other wireless technologies.

Smartag’s RFID logistics and transportation solutions is able to be deployed in warehouses, ports, airports, dist ribut ion cent res and stores, according to the company's website.

Smartag’s RFID solutions utilise RFID technologies to increase the quality, speed, and accuracy of data that accompanies each package, pallet or container, it added.

On the potential impact with the delay, Lim said that while "Smartag would like to see revenue flowing in from the RFID system", it would not disrupt its cashflow as it has other usage for the system.

“Smartag is positive that the issues can be resolved in due course and that all related parties are working hard to ensure successful implementation of the system, which is part of the government's Economic Transformation Programme,” he said.

UHF Regulations 2012

For more info on local UHF regulations, click the link below
www.gs1.org/docs/epcglobal/UHF_Regulations.pdf

Seems like Motorola Mobility site is not working...

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Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM) researchers have come up with a tracking device that could be used to monitor the spatial movement of those suffering from Alzheimer's disease.
The device, which is called the Alzheimer's real time location system, could help care-givers monitor the patients remotely in real time. “You can study the patient's behavior and take appropriate actions, for example, if he eats up to 22 times or spends too long in the toilet,” said researcher Assoc Dr Abdul Rashid Mohamed Shariff at UPM here Wednesday. Looks like active WiFi system to me.

I was on my way to Bangsar to look for DIY shop and i came across this shop, Sanifix ( Tel 03 - 2284 2322 ) using 2 units of portable 4" Toshiba thermal printer with portable data collector (Windows OS) with 2D scan engine. Quite impressive for small setup.

After commotion last week as angry Malaysian traders against the use of RFID to export Bird's nest to China... wonder what will be the result? Bird’s nest prices had also dropped from RM4,000 per kg to just under RM2,000 in a year. Malaysian Federation of Bird’s Nest Traders Association secretary Carole Loh warned that the industry was “on the brink of collapse” unless it received help soon