Terengganu Geared For Further Growth

KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 7 (Bernama) -- Terengganu is geared for further economic development with the establishment of Kuala Terengganu City Centre (KTCC) under the East Coast Economic Region (ECER) programme.

KTCC will generate investments worth RM3.9 billion, of which RM3.5 billion will be from the private sector.

KTCC will help Kuala Terengganu become a vibrant Heritage Waterfront City and an international tourism gateway to the East Coast.

ECER Development Council (ECERDC) chief executive Datuk Jebasingam Issace John was quoted as saying ECER had already attracted RM26 billion in expressed and committed investments from both local and foreign sources.

The project study for KTCC is currently in its final stages, and detailed design works and infrastructure development will be implemented under the 10th Malaysia Plan.

The KTCC project is an indication that Kuala Terengganu is ready for major transformation.

Kuala Terengganu has the only international airport in the East Coast and serves as a hub to the region, complemented by Phase 2 of the East Coast Expressway which is expected to be completed in 2011.

Meanwhile, the state's tourism is boosted by two international sporting events -- the Monsoon Cup and the Sultan's Cup Terengganu Endurance Challenge.

Menteri Besar Terengganu Datuk Ahmad Said was quoted as saying that under the Ninth Malaysia Plan, 38 projects had been approved for implementation in Terengganu including 14 cross-border projects involving other ECER states.


"From these, 17 projects were implemented in 2008, 15 projects last year while six more projects will be implemented this year.

"On the whole, I am very satisfied with the implementation and progress of all these projects which are being actively undertaken by ECERDC," he said after chairing the council meeting last month.

Terengganu is also ECER's hub for petrochemical and agriculture.

Jebasingam was also quoted as saying that there were several existing projects within the ECER Special Economic Zone that investors might find highly lucrative yet safe for investment, such as Malaysia's first fully integrated plastics and polymer park, the Kertih Polymer Park (KPP), which is now ready for occupancy within its 140-hectare land area.

Set up to promote a plug-and-play concept, he said, KPP would tap into the potential synergies from integration with the nearby Kertih Integrated Petrochemical Complex.

KPP, a key project under ECER's oil, gas and petrochemical inititiave, will help Malaysia climb up the value chain in the downstream petrochemical industry.

The polymer park has drawn major investors including Hi Essence, its first tenant which began operations last year.

As part of its plug-and-play model so that investors can establish an immediate presence, the polymer park's land and infrastructure development works for Phase 1A and 1B have been completed while design works for Phase 2 will be completed by yearend.

To support Terengganu's economic development, education and ICT projects such as the Knowledge Park which houses a university township, the International Digital Business Exchange (IDBX), an internet data centre and the Global Animation Centre will be implemeted in stages in 2011.

Meanwhile, the state's halal industry continues to develop rapidly with the establishment of a regional centre for halal products at Universiti Sultan Zainal Abidin (UniSZA) to help companies attain halal certification.

To date, 250 companies have benefitted from the guidance and consultation provided by UniSZA.

In agriculture, initial works are currently ongoing for the Kuala Berang Goat Breeding and Innovation Centre, and the project is expected to be ready within 24 months.