KOTA KINABALU: The Sabah Development Corridor (SDC) attracted RM30.06 billion in investments from the private sector and government-linked companies under Phase 1 of its implementation from 2008 to 2010.
More than RM11.9 billion in projects had already been carried out, surpassing its target of RM11.3 billion.
Sabah Economic Development and Investment Authority (Sedia) said in a report that it was now in the midst of negotiations with potential investors from Brunei, Middle Eastern countries, the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia, China, India, South Korea and Japan.
A key measure of success for the first phase was the implementation of all flagship SDC projects, such as the Palm Oil Industrial Cluster (POIC) Lahad Datu, POIC Sandakan, Sandakan Education Hub and the Keningau Integrated Livestock Centre.
Other projects that have commenced are the Sabah Agro-Industrial Precinct and a number of agropolitan and infrastructure projects.
All the SDC Phase One projects, worth RM1.27 billion, had been tendered out and awarded to Sabah-based contractors by Sept 30.
In terms of job opportunities and employment creation, about 32,900 new jobs were made available in 2008 and 40,000 in 2009.
Launched in January 2008, the SDC is to be implemented in three phases.
The second phase commences this year and lasts until 2015.
The final phase is from 2016 to 2025.
Under the SDC blueprint, the focus phase is to lay the foundation for growth.
It will set off and intensify economic initiatives, plugging gaps in the infrastructure, and implement social and environmental initiatives, especially poverty eradication programmes.
Phase Two would be aimed at accelerating economic growth by attracting greater private investment and would provide specialised infrastructure with first-class human capital.
Sedia anticipates tourism to surpass the 10 per cent share of gross domestic product.
It also sees the creation of a critical mass of small and medium enterprises, serving downstream manufacturing companies.
The plan also includes agro-businesses, featuring high-value agriculture.
"The key measure for the Phase Two is for GDP to double by 2015 or for it to reach RM32 billion from 2006 figures," the Sedia report said.
The final phase of the SDC is all about expansion, aiming for Sabah to emerge as one of the leading economic regions in Malaysia, especially in resource-based industrie
Read more: Sabah Corridor gets RM30b invesments http://www.nst.com.my/nst/articles/11kors/Article#ixzz1GgA7Rx4t
No comments:
Post a Comment