Industrial parks under PDC

No private developers used for these projects, says Chow

ALL industrial park projects in Penang are developed solely by the Penang Development Corporation (PDC) and have never been given to the private sector.

“The PDC will develop industrial lands in strategic locations without involving the private sector,” said Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow.

Chow, who is also PDC chairman, said this was because PDC’s industrial land bank was at strategic locations and can be marketed to investors.

“However, PDC now faces constraints in developing a new parcel known as Batu Kawan Industrial Park 2 (BKIP2) due to its location and non-conducive surroundings,” he told Lim Guan Eng (DAP-Air Putih) at the state assembly sitting yesterday.

Several private developers are involved in some developments, he said while maintaining that PDC would continue its role as the main industrial land developer in the state.

“PDC has over 50 years of experience in industrial parks and will continue to draw domestic and foreign investors at strategic locations without involving the private sector. PDC has successfully developed nine industrial parks in the state,” said Chow.

“We will collaborate with the private sector only for high-risk areas that are not strategically located and in less competitive areas,” he added.

Meanwhile, he said PDC had about 324ha (800 acres) of industrial land and was focusing on the development of industrial land in Cassia City Technology Park and BKIP 3 in the eastern area of Batu Kawan.

State local government committee chairman H’ng Mooi Lye said two centralised living quarters (CLQs) approved by the state for foreign and local workers will not be relocated to the mainland.

He said it was not practical for foreign workers to travel to the mainland daily while working on the island, mostly in the Bayan Lepas industrial area.

H’ng was responding to Shukor Zakariah (PN-Pulau Betong) who asked about the status of foreign workers’ hostels in Teluk Kumbar on the island.

H’ng said that construction of the CLQs have been approved and would house about 32,680 workers.

The PAS assemblyman has asked if the state would consider a proposal to relocate the CLQs to Batu Kawan.

“Any proposal to relocate depends on whether the landowners and developers have land in these locations,” said Chow.

A 27-storey hostel is planned for Tingkat Teluk Kumbar, with shoplots and a recreational area while another 30-storey hostel building will be erected at two lots at Mukim 9 in Teluk Kumbar.

Earlier, Chow also said the state would maintain the allocation given to the opposition which was better than the zero allocation for the opposition under the previous administration before 2008.

Mat Yusni Mat Piah (PN-Penaga) challenged Chow to provide the RM500,000 allocation provided to ruling assemblymen to the opposition as well.