The Ministry of Industrial Development (MID) and Information Department, Sarawak organised a media trip yesterday to the Samalaju Industrial Park (SIP) – one of the five Growth Nodes of the Sarawak Corridor of Renewable Energy (SCORE).
The media delegation, of about 20 representatives, got first-hand information of the latest updates and development on the progress of the industrial park and the growth of the businesses in the region during a briefing held at a hotel in SIP before touring some of the investors at the industrial park.
SIP has thus far received a total of RM 30 bilion worth of investment, with a target to create at least 15,000 operational employment jobs, across the 8,000-hectare SIP.
“One of the reasons investors are investing here is because SIP is a ‘Green Field’, offering competitive green renewable energy from hydropower,” said YB Datuk Haji Julaihi Narawi, Assistant Minister of Industrial Development (Investment and Promotion) who was representing YB Datuk Amar Haji Awang Tengah Ali Hasan, Minister of Industrial Development, Minister of Public Utilities and Second Minister of Resource Planning and Environment.
Apart from promoting green technology, the assistant minister also pointed out that having a government that is easy to work with is one of the main factors that has made it attractive for investors.
“Of course, we have a business-friendly policy and if they (investors) want to come here, they would be assured that their investment is safe, and they can generate profits,” he added.
State Planning Unit Deputy Director Buckland Bangik also described the price rate of energy supply for the investors are “competitive”, drawing these industry players to invest here.
The media visit also included on-the-ground tours to a few of the investors plants such as Pertama Ferroalloys of Hong Kong (silicon manganese) and OM Materials of Singapore (ferro-manganese).
The delegation also had a chance to visit to what will be one of the largest deep-sea ports in Malaysia – Samalaju Industrial Port, which is aimed to be operating by 2017. Also present for the visit were Permanent Secretary to MID, YBhg Datuk Liaw Soon Eng and other senior government officials.
