KOTA KINABALU: Sabah is a step closer to realising its proposed space industrial park with its feasibility study nearly completed, says state Science, Technology and Innovation Minister Datuk Dr Mohd Arifin Arif.
“We are at the feasibility study stage and are waiting for the final stage of the study,” said when launching the "Experiencing Science: Enlightening Innovation" mobile exhibition in Membakut, some 72km from here on Thursday (Jan 23).
He said if the park would be the first in Southeast Asia and aimed to create ample job opportunities for locals.
He said once the needed research is complete, his ministry will bring the result of the study to the state cabinet for deliberation and consideration before the next steps can be planned out.
Arifin said apart from wanting to become the Asean for satellite installation, they were also planning to create some 300 types of aerospace-industry related products.
“Thus this would open up job and business opportunities in related fields,” he said.
Permanent secretary to the ministry, Datuk Mohd Hanafiah Mohd Kassim said a suitable location had been identified for the project and had the potential to generate a source of economy for the country.
He said the proposed ‘Space Industrial Park’ would be based on Kota Kinabalu Industrial Park’s concept where chains of industries are centred in the area.
He said many other supporting or relevant industries such as shipping and logistics would be developed as well in the run-up to the construction of the Space Industrial Park.
This idea was announced in April last year, where Arifin said that a Sabah International Aerospace Launch Centre and Industrial Park is expected to be completed within five years.
