State govt, entrepreneurs urged to emulate Johor

KOTA KINABALU: MalaysiaChina Chamber of Commerce (MCCC) Sabah branch president Datuk Frankie Liew has urged Sabahan entrepreneurs and the State Government to emulate Johor’s success in attracting investors from China to the state.

Liew said Johor has far exceeded Sabah in terms of development and luring foreign investments from China.

Hence, he said local entrepreneurs and the State Government should emulate their counterparts in Johor in order to make Sabah an important investment zone for China investors.

Liew said this when visiting Iskandar Malaysia zone after attending the 16th anniversary celebration cum sixth installation ceremony of MCCC Johor branch recently.

During the dinner, Johor Tourism, Domestic Trade and Consumerism committee chairman Datuk Tee Siew Kiong said that the state had recorded 800,000 tourist arrivals from China last year, whereas that of Sabah was only 360,000.

Tee also said that Johor had been attracting the highest amount of foreign direct investment (FDI) for four consecutive years in Malaysia.

He said FDI for the manufacturing sector alone recorded RM14.4 billion in 2013, RM21.1 billion in 2014, RM31.1 billion in 2015 and RM26.4 billion in 2016, which amounted to RM93 billion in total and the creation of 63,515 job opportunities.

Liew said China was not only the largest import and export country in the world, but also had great influence on major economic sectors, such as property, innovative technology and trade, and therefore, the need to maintain friendly cooperative ties with China.

“The Johor state government’s initiative to develop the state, especially its effort to attract China investors to Iskandar Malaysia, has been very successful.

“The Sabah State Government and private sector must identify our own project that could be developed into an investment or development centre for China in the Far East region.”

Liew said Sabah could leverage on our fertile land, tropical climate and geographical advantage to lure China investors into investing in retirement village, healthcare institution, tourism, agriculture and property development in the State.

Also present was MCCC Sabah branch life honorary advisor Datuk Lau Kok Sing.

Liew (ninth left) and Lau (seventh left) with the other delegates during the visit to the Country Garden Forest City project in Iskandar Malaysia arranged by the MCCC Johor branch.