Welcome Rakan Sarawak January 2003

Rangkaian Khidmat Awam Negeri Sarawak

A MONTHLY SUPPLEMENT OF RAKAN SARAWAK BULLETIN

(People, events, activities and programmes which make for a total quality-managed Sarawak Civil Service)

ISSN 1394-5726

Online Publisher:

Contents provided by:

Ministry of Industrial Development Awards 49 Lots to Industrialists

YB Tan Sri Datuk Amar Dr. George Chan Hong Nam officiating the ceremony at Sarawak Industrial Promotion & Exhibition Centre (SIPEC) on 22 January 2003

The Ministry of Industrial Development (MID) gave out letters of offer to develop industrial lots at the Demak Laut Industrial Estate to 49 companies in a handing over ceremony held at the Sarawak Industrial Promotion and Exhibition Centre (SIPEC) in Kuching on 22 January 2003.

Officiating the ceremony was YB Tan Sri Datuk Amar Dr. George Chan Hong Nam, Sarawak Minister for Industrial Development. According to the minister, Phase III of the Demak Laut Industrial Estate was originally for 42 lots but because of the high number of applicants, the government has sub-divided the lots into smaller lots increasing it to 111 lots with a size ranging from 1 acre to 1.5 acres. "The first phase of the scheme will be ready by April and the rest by early next year", he added.

Datuk Chan expressed his confidence in the State's capability in maintaining a healthy GDP growth of between 5.5% to 6% this year and with all major sectors of the State's economy experiencing economic growth.

According to him, the State Government together with the Federal Government have implemented elaborate strategies and incentives to entice more investors to bring in foreign capital and the latest technological expertise into Sarawak. He cited the proposed RM7.6 billion (USD 2 billion) private sector-led project of

Aluminium Smelter Plant in Similajau, Bintulu as an excellent example of the government's pro-business and support of private sector operations.

YB Tan Sri Datuk Amar Dr. George Chan Hong Nam handing the letter of offer to one of the successful recipient

The Ministry has supported and approved a total of RM2.8 billion of capital investment in 2002 compared to RM805 million in 2001. A total of 10,034 jobs are expected to be created as a spin off of these projects for this period. The largest foreign investors are from Japan with a total proposed capital investment of RM180 million.

Although the Ministry has spent a lot of money to build industrial estates, Datuk Chan voiced his disappointment on the fact that many industrial lots in Phase 1 of the scheme remained undeveloped thus depriving other industrialists in genuine need of industrial lots.

The Ministry of Industrial Development has special units namely the Project Implementation and Coordination Unit (PICU) and the Industrial Coordination Unit (ICC) section to facilitate and assist industrialists in the setting up of their factories. This, he said, showed the government's commitment to help develop the manufacturing sector and SMIs which formed more than 80% of the overall industries in the State.

He commended the government arms such as Land & Survey Department, Ministry of Planning and Resource Management, local councils and other relevant departments for their hard work, dedication and commitment in expediting the process of land allocation to facilitate development.

The 49 companies comprised various industries including 13 plastics/rubber & related products, 11 building materials, 10 hardware/welding, 8 food processing/related products and 7 others/miscellaneous products.

He urged all successful applicants to speed up the implementation of approved projects so that the state can achieve the projected 5-6% growth in the industrial sector. He also reminded them that with the market opening up once AFTA is fully implemented by 2010, the need to aggressively upgrade the quality and standard of local products must be given serious attention in order to compete in the global market.

Also present at the ceremony were YB Datuk Awang Tengah Ali Hassan, Assistant Minister in the Chief Minister's Department and the Assistant Minister of Industrial Development, Tuan Haji Zaidi K. Zainie, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Industrial Development and Tuan Haji Abang Kassim Abang Zawawi who represented the Permanent Secretary of Ministry of Planning and Resource Management.