Selangor secures RM5b European investment

SELANGOR has secured RM5 billion in investment for its Science Park 2 from a European company, said Menteri Besar Tan Sri Abdul Khalid Ibrahim.

"The manufacturing facility is over 63 acres (25.5ha) and construction on the facility started last week," he told delegates yesterday on the last day of the World Congress on Information Technology (WCIT) 2008.

Last year, foreign investment in Science Park 2, a high tech industry-based site, was over RM6 billion from Japan, Europe and the US.

Three state chiefs shared the stage yesterday to impress upon WCIT 2008 delegates the investment opportunities and ICT developments in their respective states.

The speakers were Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng, Perak Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Mohammad Nizar Jamaluddin and Khalid.

Lim said his state would see more hi-tech and high value services, promotion of research and development and design, and the upgrading of its supply chain capabilities.

"With the launch of the Northern Corridor Economic Region, Penang has been identified as a key logistics hub," he said.

He also mentioned that the state secured foreign investments worth RM1.2 billion and would announce the deal today.

Mohammad Nizar said Perak was moving towards a knowledge-based economy by 2010 and that MSC Malaysia CyberCentre@Meru Raya was its hub for ICT.

Meanwhile, Johor Menteri Besar Datuk Abdul Ghani Othman said MSC Cyberport Johor had signed a memorandum of understanding with India's Mantri Reality to develop the 60.7ha Bandar MSC Cyberport.

"This cybercity will comprise of residential, offices, and recreational facilities with state-of-the-art ICT infrastructure at much lower costs than neighbouring locations," he said during a briefing on Iskandar Malaysia.

By New Straits Times (by Jeeva Arulampalam)