Kuantan: Chairman of the Malaysia-China Business Council (MCBC) Tan Sri Ong Ka Ting said the Malaysian Government welcome with open arms Chinese investors to participate in large investment development projects such as the East Coast Economic Region (ECER) and the Malaysia-China Kuantan Industrial Park (MCKIP) and will offer them additional preferential treatments besides the normal incentives.
He was speaking at a reception for 30 delegates from Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region and Qinzhou Municipal government and the business fraternity on a study tour of the MCKIP held at the Kuantan Port Authority office. The delegation visited the MCKIP, accompanied by senior officials of the Rimpunan Hijau Group and S.P. Setia Berhad, both are the lead investors in the China-Malaysia Qinzhou Industrial Park.
The delegation, led by the Secretary of the CPC Committee of Guangxi Autonomous Region H.E. Mr Guo Shengkun, included Qinzhou CPC Committee Secretary and Qinzhou Municipality delegate to the National People’s Congress Zhang Xiaoqin, Deputy Secretary of the Guangxi People’s Government Wei Ran, Deputy Mayor of Qinzhou and Qinzhou Jingu Investment Company Limited Chairman Li Xing.
The MCKIP was announced by Malaysian Prime Minister Dato’ Seri Mohd Najib bin Tun Razak after witnessing the signing of the agreement of cooperation of the China-Malaysia Qinzhou Industrial Park Joint Investment Corporation on April 1 together with the Chinese premier Wen Jiabao.
The MCKIP is located in Gebeng, near Kuatan, on 1,500 acres of land allocated by the Pahang Government and it will be developed by the Malaysia-China Joint Investment Corporation.
Besides visiting the industrial park, the Chinese delegation also visited the Kuantan Port and Pekan Automotive Industrial Park where they were briefed by senior officials.
Tan Sri Ong said the MCKIP was the second major joint-venture project launched after the Qinzhou Industrial Park project.
“This visit is historical and symbolic, pointing to a good start of the Kuantan Industrial Park. I am fully convinced that with the launching of these two major projects and following the signing of the agreement of co-operation between our two cities, there will be new breakthroughs and even better results in Malaysian-Chinese economic co-operation.
He said with the official launch by Dato’ Seri Mohd Najib and Premier Wen Jiabao, the initial stage of the Qinzhou Industrial Park has been accomplished and what was to follow would be the development of the MCKIP and he hoped the two sister parks would move ahead simultaneously.
“We need to seriously learn from Qinzhou and it is our intention to develop the MCKIP with the now famous ‘Qinzhou speed’,” he added.
Tan Sri Ong said Dato’ Seri Najib took a very serious view on joint-venture co-operative projects between the two countries. When he briefed the Prime Minister over the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding on economic co-operation between Kuantan and Qinzhou, the Prime Minister gave his consent on the spot.
“He wrote the word ‘Bersetuju’ on the MoU draft passed on to me by the Guangxi delegation. Not only that, he also put down his signature and asked me to take immediate action. His prompt action made my work so much easier.
“He told me the Cabinet and the Pahang State Government have already given approval to the accord and it means that this very important joint-venture project would be implemented swiftly.”
The Mentri Besar of Pahang Dato’ Seri Adnan Yaakob said at a luncheon reception that the State Government welcomed investors worldwide to invest in Pahang especially in high-tech industries with potential to spearhead economic development of the state.
He said the main purpose of the Chinese delegation was to make a study tour of the MCKIP while at the same time also to explore business opportunities in Gebeng industrial area, Kuantan Port and Pekan Automotive Industrial Park.
On the final points: Tan Sri Ong (left) and H.E. Guo (third from left) being briefed on the operations of the Kuantan Port by its Managing Director Dato’ Ir. Ho Phea Keat.
For the album: Pahang Mentri Besar Dato’ Seri Adnan Yaakob (sixth from left) flanked by Tan Sri Ong on his right and H.E. Guo on his left in a group picture after the luncheon reception.
Time to relax: At the dinner jointly hosted by MCBC, Rimpunan Hijau and S.P. Setia, at night with Tan Sri Ong (fifth from left) sharing a light moment with the guests.
(Translated and compiled by Hoo Ban Khee)
