TRANSFORMING THE EAST COAST ECER - Driving Development ...

August 4, 2009
ECER MAKING PROGRESS
While the ECER is still very much in its initial stages, there has been significant progress
in each of the five clusters to date.
Tourism
There are currently more than 40 Homestay / Kampung Stay programmes
in the ECER offering tourists the unique experience of participating in, and
enjoying the traditional and cultural lifestyles of local host families.
Among the Homestay / Kampung Stay programmes that have gained
industry recognition are Kampung Pasir Belanda in Kelantan; Kampung Teluk
Ketapang in Terengganu; Kampung Kuala Medang in Pahang; and Kampung
Air Papan Laut in Mersing, Johor. The programme also includes the initiative
to train Homestay / Kampung Stay operators in collaboration with the Centres
of Excellence (CoE) at UiTM Dungun under the education cluster.
Studies to transform Mersing’s coastal area into an integrated tourism
destination and gateway to the Mersing group of islands were also carried out,
involving the development of coastal resorts and hotels, a new commercial
business area, and various other related components. Activities to revitalise
the ECER’s coastal strips to take advantage of the pristine sea frontage and
exclusivity of many ECER beaches were also undertaken throughout 2008,
including active promotion to potential investors.
Manufacturing
Several emerging industries within the manufacturing sector are being
implemented. They include the production of Kenaf-based products, a valueadded
initiative to produce Kenaf bio-composite products, industry grade
insulators and fibre products. It will also see the integrated development of
Kuantan Port City (KPC), an industrial and logistics hub for the petrochemical,
palm oil, automotive and container markets.
Meanwhile, the Automotive Industrial Park (AIP) at Pekan-Peramu is the site
for the development of a manufacturing and assembly hub for the automotive
industry while the Kemaman Heavy Industrial Park will be developed to
Agriculture
In agriculture, the Lanchang Permanent Food Production Park and Modern
Farm in Pahang will see the participation of the Malaysian Agrifood
Corporation (MAFC) as an anchor company to establish a commercial fruit
farm, targeting premium local and foreign markets for the sale of export
quality tropical fruit.
FELDA, through strategic cooperation with the Malaysian Agricultural
Research and Development Institute (MARDI), is investing in the Muadzam
Shah Cattle Research & Innovation Centre, a multiplier and feedlot farm, a
marketing hub and an abattoir to increase the production of genetically-
improved cattle for breeding.
Other key milestones in the livestock initiative are the implementation
of multiplier goat farms in Telaga Papan and Ulu Tersat, Terengganu, the
development of the Kuala Berang Goat Research & Innovation Centre and
Sheep Rearing Project in Pekan, Pahang.
The fully-integrated Gua Musang Poultry Production Park has also been
initiated, while the Herbal & Biotechnology Park is being set up in Gua
Musang to focus on development of pharmaceutical and nutraceutical
herbal-based products.
Within the fisheries industry, 3 Collection, Packaging & Processing Centres
(CPPCs) will be established in Pengkalan Kubor & Bachok in Kelantan and
The East Coast Economic Region
Among them are stretches of coastline including at Pantai Seri Tujuh, Tumpat,
Kelantan; Kampung Penarik-Pulau Besar, Merang and Pantai Teluk Bidara,
Dungun in Terengganu; Pantai Sepat and Cherating, Kuantan, Pahang and
Pantai Mersing, Johor.
include integrated facilities within designated areas for manufacturing, boat
building and repairs and free zones.
The Kemaman Boat Building and Repair Park will be also located here,
taking advantage of the site’s proximity to port facilities and the upstream
and downstream developments in the oil & gas industry in nearby Kertih.
Other key developments include the Palm Oil Industrial Cluster (POIC), the
Gambang and Pasir Mas Halal Parks, the Bentong Mixed Industrial Park, and
the Herbal & Biotechnology Parks in Temerloh and Raub.
Kuala Kemaman in Terengganu, to assist entrepreneurs to process and
manufacture high value-added products in a systematic manner.
The Kuala Pahang Marine Fish Hatchery & Marketing Centre and the Raub
Freshwater Fish Hatchery & Marketing Centre will also be established.
Goat multiplier and commercial farms in Telaga Papan (top) and Ulu Tersat (bottom).
Human Capital
In June 2008, the ECERDC launched a total of 12 Centres of
Excellence (CoE) in each of the Region’s universities to prepare the
necessary human capital and skills required by the industry.
Additionally, the Centre for Industry-Academia Collaboration
(CIAC) matches the needs of industry with what is offered by
academia mainly in terms of research and job-training to help
drive development. It will also delve into the accumulated research
produced by academics after years of study, and determine how
this rich treasure-trove of knowledge can be used for commercial
purposes in ECER projects.
Oil, Gas & Petrochemical
PAGE 11
First investor in KPP, Hi-Essence Cable Sdn Bhd,is ready to commence operations.
Malaysia’s first fully-integrated plastics park, known as the
Kertih Polymer Park (KPP) project initiative, was set up to
promote further downstream investments in plastics and
polymer industries by tapping into the potential synergies
from integration with the Kertih Integrated Petrochemical
Complex (KIPC).
Covering a total land area of 140 hectares, the KPP site is
nestled within the Kertih-Cukai-Gebeng petrochemical hub.
The development of the project is divided into two phases.
Phase 1 covers 90 hectares while Phase 2 is approximately
50 hectares. 40 hectares of Phase 1 are currently undergoing
land preparation and infrastructure development.
Four investors have committed to invest in the park to-date.
Hi-Essence Cable Sdn Bhd has started construction of its wire
and cable plant; while Latenfield Pipe Industries Sdn Bhd and
FMD Polypipes Industry Sdn Bhd have committed to invest.
To facilitate R&D in the KPP, the PETRONAS Polymer
Technology Centre (PPTC) will be set up to provide technical
support to KPP tenants. When fully operational in 2015, the
KPP is projected to attract over RM2 billion in investments
and create more than 8,000 jobs.