JCorp to develop township project in Kota Tinggi next year

JOHOR BARU: State investment firm Johor Corp (JCorp) is finalising details to develop a multi-billion ringgit township and an industrial park in Kota Tinggi district, northwest of Johor Baru, next year.

JCorp president and chief executive officer Datuk Kamaruzzaman Abu Kassim said the two projects would cater for the Pengerang Integrated Petroleum Complex (PIPC).

“We see there is a need for a large scale housing scheme and an industrial park with the support services for the oil and gas (O&G) related activities in the PIPC,’’ he told StarBiz.

Kamaruzzaman said JCorp’s units Kulim (M) Bhd and Johor Land Bhd would undertake the two projects with a gross development value of RM3bil.

He said the projects located on a 4,046.85ha of land within the Sungai Papan and Sungai Lebam areas, would include 404.68ha for the industrial park.

“We expect to start the projects next year and they will keep Kulim and Johor Land busy for the next 10 to 15 years,’’ added Kamaruzzaman.

He said the land for the industrial park project belonged to the Southeast Johor Development Authority while the state government would allocate the land for the township projects.

“We are taking over land from Kejora for the industrial park and exchanging it with land held by us in other parts of the Kota Tinggi district deemed suitable for the authority,’’ said Kamaruzzaman.

He said the development of the industrial park would be based on similar concepts in European countries with the components supporting the needs of the O&G companies.

“The industrial park is expected to create about 1,000 job opportunities for locals,’’ said Kamaruzzaman.

Separately, he said JCorp would sign an agreement with the Muar Municipal Council and the Muar Furniture Association to develop a furniture hub in Bakri, Muar.

Kamaruzzaman said the signing ceremony would take place this quarter and the furniture hub project on a 404.68ha site would commence in the first quarter of 2016.

He said the hub would house some 300 members of the association currently scattered in the Muar district and also those operating on temporary sites.