‘CHINA INVESTOR YET TO PAY COMMITMENT FEE’

Kedah exco man says fee is compulsory and ensures projects are not delayed or abandoned

EMBUN MAJID ALOR STAR news@nst.com.my

THE commitment fee imposed on investors in Kedah is compulsory for all investors who intend to carry out projects on government land.

State Investment and Industry Committee chairman Datuk Dr Ku Abdul Rahman Ku Ismail said the payment was to ensure that projects were not delayed or abandoned.

He said investors could pay the commitment fee before carrying out impact assessments on projects.

Ku Abdul Rahman, when commenting on the Kedah Integrated Fishery Terminal (KIFT) project, which involves a China-based investor, said the state had yet to receive the commitment fee.

“We are not giving them a deadline, but we hope they do not wait too long to pay the fee,” he said.

He said since he told the State Legislative Assembly the state government was looking for a new investor for the project, the company had contacted him regarding the fee.

He said he had explained to them the reason for the fee, and the company had informed him that they were keen to continue with the project.

He said the state government had done everything it could to make the project a success and had helped the company obtain an approval from the National Physical Planning Council.

It was reported that the KIFT project, a joint venture between the state government and a Qingdaobased company, was meant to modernise the fishing industry, particularly in Kedah.

The RM3 billion project would transform the state into an international fisheries hub in 10 years.

KIFT involves the construction of a fishery commercial terminal, trading market, cold storage chain logistic base, aquatic product processing base, supply and preparation base, supporting marine food technology, leisure and tourism service areas and other facilities in one port.

We are not giving them (the Chinabased investor) a deadline, but we hope they do not wait too long to pay the (commitment) fee.