IPOH: Perak has secured RM450mil in foreign investments following a recent working visit to Europe, says Datuk Seri Saarani Mohamad.
The Perak Mentri Besar said more investors are expected to follow suit.
He said the state delegation visited France, Belgium and Britain, meeting with key industry players in sectors ranging from construction, chemicals to aquaculture and automotive testing.
“In France, we visited Solvay, a company established since 1945 that has been active in rare earth reprocessing and extraction.
“We were introduced to their latest separation technology, which could have significant implications for future industrial partnerships,” he told reporters after attending the Northern Corridor Economic Region (NCER) “Ramah Mesra” event at a hotel here on Thursday (May 22).
Saarani said the delegation also held talks with Saint-Gobain, a construction materials manufacturer in France, with existing operations in Kanthan, Ipoh.
“The company is set to increase its Malaysian investment by RM2mil.
“Lhoist in Belgium, a multinational lime and minerals company with a quarry in Ayer Kuning in Tapah, has committed to an additional RM250mil investment in Perak,” he added.
Saarani also said three potential investors fro Belgium have been identified for the Lumut Maritime Industrial City (LuMIC) project.
He said among them is a ship-breaking and recycling company, as well as firms involved in logistics and related infrastructure.
“These three companies have expressed serious interest and are expected to visit Lumut this June to inspect proposed sites and begin discussions with local authorities,” Saarani said.
Saarani added that while in Belgium, the Perak team also met with a professor on aquaculture nutrition.
He said the discussion focused on Artemia, a live shrimp feed that plays a crucial role in shrimp farming.
“We are planning a collaboration with the professor through the state’s subsidiary Perak state Agriculture Development Corporation (SADC).
“We aim to develop a shrimp farming project,” he added.
Saarani said the confirmed investment is RM450mil not including the shrimp collaboration, or the three potential investors for LuMIC.
Saarani added that the delegation to Britain visited the National Automotive Testing Centre in Leicester, as part of the state’s plan to develop a similar automotive track in Sungkai.
“We reviewed the site layout and studied the advanced technologies in use.
“It is more than just a test track, it includes research and development facilities as well.
“We are exploring the possibility of transferring this technology to Perak so we can establish a comparable centre in Sungkai,” he added.
