Pulau Konet gazetted as part of MEC project

Unique features: Pulau Konet has been gazetted as part of the Melaka Energy Corridor development project aimed at expanding the Telok Gong Industrial Area in Alor Gajah. — Photo courtesy of Tourism Malaysia’s Facebook page

MELAKA: Pulau Konet has been gazetted as part of the Melaka Energy Corridor (MEC) development project aimed at expanding the Telok Gong Industrial Area in Alor Gajah.

Chief Minister Datuk Seri Ab Rauf Yusoh said the MEC will include the development of maritime and shipping support ­industries, oil and gas support industries, a Customs, Immi­gration and Quarantine (CIQ) complex and infrastructure facilities.

“The project involves land recla­mation concession around Pulau Konet covering ​​202.34ha, which is the main component of the MEC,” he told the state assembly meeting yesterday, Bernama reported.

He was responding toLow Chee Leong (PH-Kota Laksamana) about the plan to develop Pulau Konet as part of the MEC.

Earlier, to a question from Datuk Rosli Abdullah (BN-Kuala Linggi) on whether there was a proposal to develop Pulau Konet as a tourism product for marine and coastal recreation areas, Ab Rauf said the island was not suitable as a tourist area despite its unique features.

Citing the results of the Fisheries Department’s monitoring, he said it was found that there were only a few coral reefs and no ornamental fish species in the rocky area.

To a question from Datuk Zaidi Attan (BN-Serkam) on the construction of a sovereignty monument on Pulau Konet, Ab Rauf said it was built on Sept 7, 2022, at a cost of RM80,000 to symbolise supervision of the country’s waters.

“The intention of the National Security Council in placing the national sovereignty monument there is to uphold and affirm the country’s sovereignty over the islands that belong to the country,” he said.

Separately, state public works, infrastructure, public facilities and transport committee chairman Datuk Hameed Mytheen Kunju Basheer said about RM25mil is needed to resolve the problem of street lights.

He said the allocation received this year was only RM3.5mil.

“This is still a long way from resolving the streetlighting problem on state roads, as it does not include village roads,” he told Tuminah Kadi @ Mohd Hashim (BN-Pantai Kundor).

Hameed said Melaka also received RM1.7mil under the Malay­sian Road Records Informa­tion for the installation of streetlights in village areas this year, with Melaka Tengah, Alor Gajah and Jasin districts to receive RM500,000 each, with RM200,000 going to the state Public Works Department.