Friday 16 August 2013

Melaka Moving To Draw More Investments To Spur Economic Growth

Melaka Moving To Draw More Investments To Spur Economic Growth
By Mohd Iswandi Kasan Anuar

MELAKA, Aug 15 - Melaka, fondly called "The Venice of the East" by the Westerners, is working on ambitious investment plants to continue receiving investments from local and foreign investors, particularly in the automotive, pharmaceuticals and green technology sectors.

Chief Minister Datuk Idris Haron said the plan by the Honda company in Japan to increase its investments by three fold will have a huge impact on Melaka.

"When I visited the Honda plant in Japan, I was told that the plant will increase its production capacity. Honda's plan will directly or indirectly have a positive impact on its assembling plant in Alor Gajah," he told Bernama.

Idris said Melaka also has the potential to emerge as a "park" for the pharmaceutical industry for the southern region when Malaysian Biotechnology Corp Sdn Bhd developed a pharmaceutical park in Alor Gajah next year.

He said this project will gradually bring in RM1 billion investment.

"We've received a request from a Microsoft company which is looking for a piece of land to build a factory that produces main frames.

"A local businessman is also planning to invest RM100 million to produce diesel from used tyres using green technology," he said.

Idris said the company will collect used tyres in Melaka, estimated at 10 tonnes a day, to be processed using the technology from South Korea and China.

He said the plant is expected to start operations soon.

"I've identified all these as investments with very viable potential and have placed them on Melaka's investment radar.

"These projects do not include other companies expanding their businesses at a rapid pace in and around Melaka," he said.

Idris said the construction of Guardian Industries Malaysia Sdn Bhd's glass production plant in Lipat Kajang, costing RM800 million, will start after several issues, including land matter, are resolved.

The glass manufacturing plant, pharmaceutical park and Honda's expansion programme are expected to create 3,000 jobs, he said.

In a move to bolster economic activities in existing industrial areas, Idris said their managements would adopt a dual-pronged approach -- value add and increase production capacity of existing plants, upgrade quality of their products and services as well as increase utilisation of the land area like in Lipat Kajang, Teluk Gong and several other industrial areas around Alor Gajah and Jasin districts.

"I'm confident Melaka will re-emerge as a bustling economic hub as it used to be before (during the Melaka Sultanate). (We can realise this vision and mission) with the cooperation of all the administrators in the state.

"All of us should work as one united team to bring back Melaka's glorious era.

"I've reminded the state executive councillors and the workforce in Melaka to become the best "salesman" to the extent of selling sand to the Arabs and refrigerators to the Eskimos.

"If we have such a mentality to promote Melaka, I believe investors will have the trust and confidence to come to Melaka," he added.

Source: BERNAMA

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