Flourishing investments
AS another year goes by, Pahang continues to grow as a major focus for investors, generating RM47.7bil in investments as at July this year.
An outcome of the Government’s strategic infrastructure, high-impact projects and programmes through the East Coast Economic Region Development Council (ECERDC) to drive investment into Pahang, the growth had in turn created more than 48,325 job opportunities for the people.
The four industrial parks in the state, namely the Malaysia-China Kuantan Industrial Park (MCKIP), Gambang Halal Industrial Park, Pekan Automotive Park and the Kuantan Integrated Biopark, had continued to be the key investment drivers.
Collectively, these industrial parks had received investments amounting to RM12.5bil that had been approved for the period between 2007 and July 2016, which was expected to create 13,760 job opportunities.
Of the total foreign investments in the East Coast Economic Region (ECER), more than RM13.6bil or 38.5% came from China investors, centred mostly at MCKIP.
With the increasing demand for land from China investors, MCKIP which began in 2013 with 566.56 hectares, was given the approval last year to be expanded to 1,214 hectares.
Earlier this year, MCKIP secured investments worth RM1.58bil from China and Malaysia, reflecting investors’ confidence in the ECER.
LJ Hightech Material Sdn Bhd had committed to invest RM1bil in a high-technology production-based centre to produce concrete panels for construction industries and activated rubber powder, while Guangxi Investment Group had committed to invest RM580mil in an aluminium component manufacturing facility.
“The ECER is rapidly transforming into one of Malaysia’s most dynamic regions, offering diverse business opportunities for international investors who are looking to make fresh investments or expand their existing facilities.
“The Government, through ECERDC, will continue to invest in strategic game-changing infrastructure such as ports, highways and industrial parks while introducing various incentives and business-friendly policies to ensure that the region remains a premier investment destination,” said ECERDC chief executive officer Datuk Seri Jebasingam Issace John.
Meanwhile, in the tourism sector, some of the new investments approved recently totalling RM61.6mil include the building of a new four-star resort hotel in Kuala Rompin by Lanjut Golf Sdn Bhd and a new hotel in Kuantan by Skytree Hotel Sdn Bhd.
The bumiputra SME sector had also played a key role in investment growth with 35 bumiputra companies from Pahang having benefited from the various incentives put in place by the ECERDC through the TERAJU@ ECER programme.
Approved investments from these companies amounted to RM6.88bil and they are expected to create 3,841 job opportunities.
With the establishment of the Dana Mudahcara TERAJU@ECER between 2012 and July 2016, 14 projects have been accepted, with investments amounting to RM358.4mil, focused mainly in the manufacturing and services sectors.
Other than emphasis on capital economy, the ECERDC had also continued its human capital development programmes focused on the Below 40% household income group (B40). To date, about 34,638 people had benefited, including the 7,460 micro entrepreneurs nurtured through the human capital development programme.
These entrepreneurs in turn had generated in excess of 10,444 new job opportunities for the local communities, showcasing the spillover benefits of such human capital development initiatives.
More recently, 12 entrepreneurs had also been given the opportunity to set up their businesses at the Kompleks Hasil Laut and Medan Ikan Bakar in Kuala Pahang.
The project, which was completed in April this year, is scheduled to commence operations soon.
ECERDC is also working with Felda to ensure that the Agropolitan projects continue to support the local economy, while continuing with the various development projects at the six districts that were formerly under the Lembaga Kemajuan Pahang Tenggara (DARA) and Lembaga Kemajuan Wilayah Jengka (LKWJ) areas.
“We will continue to implement highimpact and game-changing infrastructure projects in Pahang under the 11th Malaysia Plan to ensure that we attract the right investments and talent into the ECER. Our aim is to transform the ECER’s socio-economy in line with the National Transformation Policy or NTP,” said Jebasingam.