Armoured vehicle plant to be built in Lipis

KUANTAN: An armoured vehicle plant will be built in the Padang Tengku Industrial Estate (Phase II) to boost the development of Lipis as a defence city, thus stimulating the economic growth of the local population and creating job opportunities.

Pahang Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Wan Rosdy Wan Ismail said the company, MILDEF International Sdn Bhd, is in negotiations to finalise the investment and is expected to start investing after phase one of the Ketech Asia Sdn Bhd investment in the plant is fully operational

He added that phase one of the investment is expected to be fully operational in the last quarter of this year.

He said the plant site had been approved by Pahang State Secretary Incorporated while the project implementing agency was under the purview of the state development corporation.

“In line with the approval of the ammunition and armoured vehicle projects, all forms of investment related to defence will be proposed to be implemented in the Padang Tengku Industrial Estate (Phase II).

“Indirectly, it could increase wages and service contracts through job opportunities, that will be offered to locals,” he said during the state assembly at Wisma Sri Pahang yesterday.

He was responding to a question from Datuk Mustapa Long (BN-Padang Tengku), who wanted to know the progress in the implementation of Lipis as a defence city and the positive impact on the local population.

On the RM150 million ammunition plant, which is the first in the country to be developed on state development corporation land, he said it had reached 82% completion as of March 15.

“Basic approval was granted by the Home Ministry on March 4, 2022, to obtain a licence to manufacture ammunition under Section 12 of the Arms Act 1960 in Kuala Lipis starting from Jan 1, 2022 until Dec 31, 2024.

“The opening of the plant is expected to create 150 new job opportunities.”

State Investment, Industries, Science, Technology and Innovation Committee chairman Datuk Mohamad Nizar Najib said within 10 years, starting from 2013, Pahang State Secretary Incorporated had signed 235 sale or lease agreements and 22 memoranda of understanding, covering foreign direct investment projects and domestic direct investment.

“Of the total memoranda, four have been realised through sale or lease agreements, which have contributed RM534.2 million to the state government.” – Bernama