‘Pantai Temajuk development reflects big investment prospects in West Kalimantan’
PONTIANAK: The Malaysian Consulate in West Kalimantan is actively exploring new investment opportunities through the development of Pantai Temajuk, which is located near the SarawakKalimantan border in Telok Melano.
According to the Consul General of Malaysia to Pontianak, Azizul Zekri Abd Rahim, Pantai Temajuk is poised to become ‘a game-changer’ for Sarawak, especially in medical and healthcare tourism.
“We are looking for more investors from Sarawak to come invest in West Kalimantan.
“For example, last year we invited the chambers of commerce to come and visit West Kalimantan; this year, we have invited the Federation of Malaysian Manufacturers to come here.
“This is one of our cooperation programmes with the Indonesian Consulate to Malaysia in Kuching,” he said when met at the Mercure Hotel here, during the ‘Sarawak Media Familiarisation Trip to West Kalimantan’ programme on Thursday.
Adding on, Azizul Zekri said constructing tourism facilities such as hotels, resorts and entertainment venues at Pantai Temajuk would not only boost the economy, but also change the whole tourism landscape.
He said Malaysian companies should take advantage of this, given the promising prospects in medical tourism where last year alone, over 80 per cent of West Kalimantan citizens came to Sarawak for that purpose.
Moreover, he highlighted the huge opportunities in developing Pantai Temajuk, with its shoreline spanning
55km.
“The beach is still untouched, and not fully developed.
“One of them (opportunities) is developing a resort at Pantai Temajuk. Last year, the West Kalimantan government had asked Malaysia if we could help them develop tourism at Pantai Temajuk.
“Last year, and also this year, we’re able to bring some investors from Malaysia to come to Kalimantan.”
Azizul Zekri, however, recognised the spillover impact that such a development might bring, and in this regard, he said the consulate was gearing up its ongoing collaboration with those in Indonesia’s tourism sector through the development of small and medium enterprises (SMEs).
“Our cooperation is very active. For your information, we not only supervise West Kalimantan, but the whole province of Kalimantan.
“Just last year, we held a promotional programme in Balikpapan in East Kalimantan to promote tourism.
“Now, we are actively promoting the tourism products offered by the SMEs from West Kalimantan, among which are those from the Singkawang and Pontianak areas,” he said, adding that the Malaysian Consulate would continue its engagement with the provincial government.
When asked about the progress of the development projectsalong the West Kalimantan-Sarawak border, Azizul Zekri said the government had already made plans.
“We already have plans and hopefully, they would kick off in the near future,” he added.