The Star Online: Metro: South & East
The Star Online: Metro: South & East |
- Country’s first economic corridor to be of international standards by 2025
- Have proper drainage system to prevent flash floods, developers urged
- 54 villages in Paitan at risk of floods
| Country’s first economic corridor to be of international standards by 2025 Posted: 04 Dec 2011 04:56 PM PST ISKANDAR Malaysia (IM), already into its fifth year has entered into its second phase of development starting from 2011 until 2015. Located in the southernmost part of Johor and spanning about 2,217 sq km, IM was the country's first economic growth corridor launched on Nov 4, 2006. Iskandar Regional Development Authority (Irda) is the regulatory authority given the mandate to plan, promote and facilitate the development of IM into a strong and sustainable metropolis of international standing by 2025. Chief executive officer Ismail Ibrahim shares with ZAZALI MUSA and MOHD FARHAAN SHAH on a wide range of topics related to IM. Star: How would you rate IM success over the last five years and are you happy with the progress made so far? Ismail: We are satisfied and happy with the progress made to date but we should not be complacent and rest on our laurels. In fact, we have to work even harder and put in more effort to further promote and develop IM into one of the leading investment destinations in the region. Honestly speaking, IM is moving really faster than its age — if you look at other successful economic growth corridor like Shenzen — the first five years involved laying down the foundation and planning but IM already started moving on the very first day. Many are quite surprised to see the development and progress taking place especially on the construction of new highways and the upgrading of existing roads to improve connectivity and accessibility within IM. Among the on-going and completed road-related projects include the New Coastal Highway, Eastern Dispersal Link Expressway, Senai-Pasir Gudang-Desaru Expressway, Jalan Abu Bakar, Jalan Skudai and Jalan Kolam Ayer. We are looking at 2012 as the tipping point for IM where projects such as Legoland Theme Park, Indoor Theme Park @ Puteri Harbour and New Coastal Highway will be completed and operational. Q: What are the plans for the next five years? A: We'll continue attracting new investments into IM and will from time to time constantly review and adopt several changes in our strategies. Our strategies are not cast in stone — we have to be flexible, innovative and creative in attracting potential investors in view of the global economic uncertainties. Despite operating in the unfavourable economic situation and competition from rivals in Malaysia and countries in the region, we have received total cumulative committed investment of RM77.82bil since day one as of September this year. The investment pattern is also changing with more domestic investments flowing into IM, unlike when we first started five years ago. Of the RM77.82bil investment from the manufacturing, property, utilities and tourism and Government spending, RM46.63bil or 60% are domestic investments while foreign investments stood at RM31.18bil or 40% and of the total, 48.2% had been spent on ground as of to date. Going forward, from 2011 until 2015, we are targeting RM73bil cumulative investment or RM14.5bil yearly with the gross domestic product (GDP) of 8% which is 3% higher than the national average. Q: With the sovereign debt crisis looming the Eurozone countries and recession in the USA, do you think it is becoming more difficult for Irda and other stakeholders to attract new investments into IM? A: Yes, attracting investments is getting harder and more challenging but this is not only faced by us, other economic regions are also having the same problem. Nobody knows what is going to happen to the global economy, this is an external factor beyond our control. But, at the same time you must remember that there are investors out there with tonnes of money or liquidity — we always believe during any crisis, there are opportunities waiting for us. These investors are being careful and looking at the best places to park their money and our job is to go after these people and convince them to invest in IM. How are we going to do it? IM is strategically located at the crossroad between the world's two emerging economic power houses – China and India. Historically, during the golden era of Malacca Sultanate, the Malay Archipelago was a thriving emporium where traders from China, India, Arab and European countries came to trade their goods. Another added advantage is that IM is located just next to Singapore, as Singapore is one of the global trade and financial centres. When investors talk about IM, they will also relate it to Singapore. We look at IM and Singapore as one economic region — rather than competing, we are complementing each other and should work together for mutual benefit. With the improvement in bilateral ties between Malaysia and Singapore under the leadership of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak and Premier Lee Hsien Loong, IM is going to benefit the most. Traditionally and historically, Johor and Singapore have been complementing each other as what was said by former Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad "prosper thy neighbour" – is still valid and relevant until today. Q: How is your working relationship with other stakeholders? A: Good. Irda alone cannot work to ensure the success of IM; this is a collaboration with all stakeholders both from the Federal and State levels. Irda just facilitates and regulates implementation of investments in IM. We have been engaging with local community leaders, politicians and non-governmental organisations (NGOs) from time to time, as their feedback is important. We look at their negative comments constructively. It is better to engage with them rather than be at war. We also need to strategise our communication plan and more importantly work closely with the media to disseminate reports on the progress made by us to the general public. IM cannot succeed in just a few years as it is a long term plan and we cannot realise our dream in just a day. The road ahead is not always smooth sailing and not without bumps along the way. We at Irda want to make it happen and it needs time but when we want to do things, we want to make it right at the beginning and don't want to re-do it and re-do it all over again. It will be a costly mistake as what our PM says, no flip-flop. Q: What are the benefits that the locals have reaped since the inception of IM five years ago? A: There are many direct and indirect benefits that locals have enjoyed in the last five years and will continue to enjoy in years to come. For instance, thousands of jobs were created during the construction of infrastructure projects, not only for those directly involved but those providing support services such as transportation and catering services. Job opportunities are plenty as IM will require about 250,000 high-skilled workers within the next 10 to 15 years bringing the numbers to 850,000 from 600,000 presently. Improvement in connectivity and accessibility means travelling timewithin IM has been reduced significantly and creating economic activities for other areas too. When we are courting investors, the first question we'll ask them is how many job opportunities they require – from there, we'll talk with training institutions such as vocational schools, colleges and universities – these institutions will have to work to create the necessary workforce for the investors. The opening of Johor Premium Outlets recently and Newcastle Medical University and Legoland Theme Park and Indoor Theme Park @ Puteri Harbour next year will create job opportunities for locals. Full content generated by Get Full RSS. |
| Have proper drainage system to prevent flash floods, developers urged Posted: 04 Dec 2011 04:32 PM PST KOTA KINABALU: The Greater Kota Kinabalu Flood Prevention Committee has asked all property developers to implement a drainage system before beginning construction work as a measure to avoid flash floods during heavy rain. Sabah Assistant Minister in the Chief Minister's Department Datuk Edward Khoo, who chairs the committee, said implementation of a special drainage system should be required before local authorities approved development plans. "We would like to take this opportunity to request the developers' cooperation. When you start your development, please construct your drainage system first. "Don't let water from your workside to flow into the existing drainage. Mud can cause blockage in the drainage," he told reporters after chairing the committee's first meeting here recently. According to Khoo, a report by the State Drainage and Irrigation Department stated uncontrolled development and drain blockage were among the main causes of flood, apart from unusual heavy rain and tidal effect. Meanwhile, he said short term measures were being implemented immediately such as widening drains and cleaning clogged drains, including construction of new drains where necessary. The committee was formed on Nov 21, following massive floods in Kota Kinabalu, Penampang and Putatan, due to heavy rain on Nov 19. Khoo said the committee, which was previously formed to deal with floods occurring in areas under the Kota Kinabalu City Hall, was expanded to include Penampang and Putatan. — Bernama Full content generated by Get Full RSS. |
| 54 villages in Paitan at risk of floods Posted: 04 Dec 2011 04:32 PM PST BELURAN: The anticipated rise in water level at 54 flood-prone villages in the Paitan district will affect its residents, said assistant district officer Elias Abdul Hamid. In view of this, he said, the district environmental disaster committee had sent food supplies to the villagers concerned. He was speaking to reporters after chairing a flood preparation meeting here recently. Elias said the committee was ready to tackle the flood risk, with the help of the civil defence, fire and rescue and welfare departments, and the police, to channel aid to affected areas. He reminded village development and security committee chairmen and village chiefs to immediately report to the committee on rising water levels. He said flood relief supplies would be given to victims, adding that those relocated to temporary shelters would receive RM500 cash aid. — Bernama Full content generated by Get Full RSS. |
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