STIDC to celebrate 25th year of developing Tanjung Manis

KUCHING: The Sarawak Timber Industry Development Corporation ( STIDC) will hold a two- day celebration in Tanjung Manis this Friday to mark the 25th anniversary of its direct involvement in overall development of Tanjung Manis New Township.

STIDC in a statement yesterday said from a mere mangrove forest, STIDC had brought tremendous evolution into the township by providing the necessary infrastructure to facilitate development.

Its deputy general manager and Tanjung Manis Development Sdn Bhd executive director, Hashim Bojet, said what started as a timber processing zone gradually grew into a new industrial hub for the Sarawak Corridor of Renewable Energy ( SCORE), which aims to make Sarawak a high-income economy by 2030.

He said being one of the new growth nodes under SCORE, Tanjung Manis is poised to grow

STIDC is not only the planner but also the builder, engineer and service provider in Tanjung Manis. We aim to be a onestop centre for varied developments in the area to ensure smooth project implementation

into a new economic hub of the central region of Sarawak and will continue to flourish with the development of other industries such as the Palm Oil Industrial Cluster ( POIC) comprising the Central Oil Distribution Terminal ( CODT); Integrated Palm Oil Project ( IPOP); Light Industrial Park for Petrochemicals, Oleochemicals and Related Industries ( LIPPOR); and Oil, Gas and Chemical (OGC) Jetty.

“STIDC is not only the planner but also the builder, engineer and service provider in Tanjung Manis. We aim to be a one- stop centre for varied developments in the area to ensure smooth project implementation,” he said.

Initially meant for the timber industry, Tanjung Manis (some 466km from here) has since evolved into a new township, complete with a hub for ship building, deep sea fishery port, palm oil cluster for central regions of the state, and the Tanjung Manis Timber Processing Zone, the largest and most advanced fully integrated timber complex in Malaysia.

With a total area of 3,000 ha allocated for development, the township has the amenities, infrastructure and support services to become a leading investment centre for timber manufacturing.

Meanwhile in the same statement, Tanjung Manis Resources Sdn Bhd manager and Belawai Sub-District councillor Ibnee Ekni expressed hope that the authorities would put housing development as their top priority to cater for the growing population in Tanjung Manis, including investors.

“Presently, people regard Tanjung Manis as a temporary settlement because they do not have property there. I also hope that Tanjung Manis will be elevated to district status in order to facilitate businesses,” he said.

Belawai Assemblyman and Assistant Minister in the Sarawak Chief Minister’s Office ( Promotion of Technical Education) and Assistant Minister of Environment, Datuk Len Talif Salleh, is scheduled to grace the anniversary celebration, which will feature various events such as sports and games, exhibition, and fishing and weaving competitions. — Bernama

Hashim Bojet, STIDC deputy general manager and Tanjung Manis Development Sdn Bhd executive director