NCER - Northern Corridor Economic Region | Penang-Kedah-Perlis | Sime Darby

[Arkdriver]

do you read newspaper? NCER focus more on local investors. IDR is for foreigners. You go read again and join this discussion later.

[Irwin]

do you read newspaper? NCER focus more on local investors. IDR is for foreigners. You go read again and join this discussion later.

Sure i've read newspaper...that's why i said Penang will no longer be able to attact foreign investors under NCER since NCER focus on local investors. Penang used to attact many foreign investors years back. But now government emphasizes on IDR to bring in foreign investors, Penang will lose its share of foreign invesment.

Don't doubt about someone's opinion if you yourself don't even understand the meaning of that opinion!

[Arkdriver]

i dont bother to explain to someone who has clearly dont understand economy.

[OshHisham]

it is good for a region to focus on one economic sector...for penang, their position of being malaysia's silicon valley is still being strengthen eventhough for NCER, it plays as a logistic hub for agriculture and it's support industries.

while IDR is much similar to what Batam is now. only we start late since the previous premier has a policy of ignoring singapore...

IDR has the DEB-free policy and we still don't know if it sounds attractive enough for foreign investors.

[cooltemper]

Originally Posted by Irwin

Sure i've read newspaper...that's why i said Penang will no longer be able to attact foreign investors under NCER since NCER focus on local investors. Penang used to attact many foreign investors years back. But now government emphasizes on IDR to bring in foreign investors, Penang will lose its share of foreign invesment.

Don't doubt about someone's opinion if you yourself don't even understand the meaning of that opinion!

I feel that you are right, government are envy of what Penang manage to attract electronic sector (under previous PG Chief Minister) that contributed more than 40% (of course not all electronic parts are from Penang) of our export.
Therefore they start to create hightech park in Kulim, Bangi, anywhere lar, as if all new industrial area need to bear the name of Hightech Park.

Then Penang start to loose out if foreign investment. But recently Thanks to a Penangite, which he plan to transfer his company headquarter in US to Penang.

What a Great Effort!!!!!

[nazrey]

Making the NCER work
by08-08-2007:
by Toh Mei Ling
THEEDGEDAILY


KUALA LUMPUR: Now that most of the initiatives under the Northern Corridor Economic Region (NCER) master plan have been unveiled, expectations from the Malaysian public are at an all-time high.

In view of this, it is crucial that the government does everything in its power to ensure that the initiatives are carried out successfully for the NCER, which is now under close scrutiny by a wary rakyat that have had their share of “castles in the sky”.

Compared to the Iskandar Development Region (IDR), the NCER master plan is more down-to-earth as it focuses on developing industrial sectors that are already pillars of the northern states’ economy and achieving greater social equity.

While the IDR’s success depends heavily on foreign direct investments (of which observers say that there has only been lukewarm response thus far), the NCER on the other hand, is meant to be driven by the Malaysian private sector.

On hindsight, this makes attracting investments easier in the NCER, but a lot depends on the Northern Corridor Implementation Authority’s (NCIA) ability to follow through on the plans and ensure the active participation of industry players.

Because of its unique position as the facilitator between the government and investors, and its agenda to drive the social and economic development in the region, the right candidate is needed to lead the NCIA, while its organisational structure will also play a crucial role in ensuring NCER’s success.

Sceptical observers believe that making the right decision in these two areas – in getting the candidate and organisational structure right - will be difficult because Malaysia has always adhered to the sensitivities of being politically correct, rather than running the risk of offending others by doing what most would consider, is the right thing.

In a previous interview with The Edge weekly, Datuk Ahmad Zubir Murshid, chief executive officer of the NCER master plan’s architect Sime Darby Bhd, pointed out that the parameters of the NCER are very different from that of the IDR.

As the NCER covers four states — Penang, Perlis, Kedah and Northern Perak — 21 divisions, three sultans, one governor, three mentris besar and one chief minister, the issue of red tapes and power struggles are more likely to occur here than with the IDR.

Not forgetting, the NCIA would need to get the buy-in from all the incumbents and coordinate between them to successfully implement the initiatives under the NCER master plan.

Agriculture will be the key economic focus area of the NCER, followed by the manufacturing, logistics and tourism sectors. Although agriculture has always been a major economy in the northern region, modernising the sector will be challenging.

Aside from poor irrigation and water management systems which can easily be addressed, introducing modern agriculture technology and best practices will likely be met with some resistance, considering the fact that 60% of NCER’s population have an education level of PMR and below.

Because of this, the community holds strongly to tradition, practising agriculture the way it has always been done from the days of their forefathers. Hence, to convince them on the change and adoption of new technologies and methods will require a significant shift in mindset.

But this is only one of the people hurdles the NCER will need to address. The other would be to build a sufficiently large knowledge workforce to support the economic development and growth in the NCER and to make it attractive enough for the younger generation to live and work in the region.

While there are initiatives that will focus on the creation of skilled human talent, the question is whether or not the people resulting from these training programmes and skills excellence centres are able to drive the development of identified new sectors such as biotechnology and certain agriculture downstream businesses.

Generating a talent pool for the agriculture sector will not be enough, as the NCER will also be driven by three other sectors with very different dynamics. Each sector presents its own set of issues and challenges.

Since the master plan aims to turn Penang into an integrated logistics hub, many of the issues that are hampering the potential of the industry need to be addressed before this is even possible.

This includes improving the facilities of Penang’s airport and port, increasing warehousing capabilities, investing in the necessary ICT infrastructure and systems to make operations efficient and more cost effective, as well as putting together the right incentives to attract more activity from industry players.

The tourism sector in the NCER, on the other hand, has been suffering for years due to neglect from a lack of funds, low visitor traffic and poor marketing and branding capabilities. Average spending per tourist is also significantly lower in the northern region compared to other tourist spots within the country.

Medical tourism will also be a focus moving forward, particularly for Penang and Langkawi. However, in order to cater to the increase in demand for healthcare services, special incentives need to be put in place to boost the number of medical practitioners in the region and bring back Malaysian medical professionals practising overseas.

The current system does not make it easy for Malaysian medical professionals who are trained overseas to return to practise in the country. In fact, for many years, the system has served to discourage them from returning as a means to protect medical professionals who are trained locally.

As such, this will have to change if the government wish to strengthen the quality of healthcare services in Malaysia while at the same time, increase the number of specialist doctors within the country.

All in all, the NCER master plan has generated different responses from industries as well as the general public. Some are taking it with a pinch of salt, while others believe it may actually help in closing the industrial development gap within the region.

Only time will tell if the NCER master plan will result in the outcome that the nation desires, but meanwhile, it is important to work together in hopes of achieving greater economic wealth and social equity for the people.

[Arkdriver]

if anybody realize, electronic sector in Penang has moved up the supply chain by focusing more on high end job and research and development work. Other high tech park has taken penang's role in the entry level assembly job that requires little tech knowledge to be done. That's why after more than a decade of operation, Motorola set up RnD centre for radio tech research in Penang because the industry has matured and ready to accommodate such complex and difficult job. Intel also has their RnD in Penang while plant in Kulim focuses more on like i said before, mass producing chips and assembly works.

Dell chose to have their Asia Pacific assembly plant in Bukit Tengah because of two things, 1. Supply of hardware needed to build a laptop or a PC (plenty of electronics kilang kilang in Penang where we all know Intel and AMD have plants in Penang. Seagate and Komag produce raw hard disk and banyak lagi kilang that take ages to mention here. 2. Penang has excellent cargo airport in Bayan Lepas, where the second advanced cargo centre being manage by MasKargo is there. Some of Dell laptops and PCs also shipped to North America but only small percentage. All Dell laptop and PCs sold in Asia Pacific except China and Japan are produced here in Bukit Tengah. Before, Dell used to have monitoring center in Cyberjaya but they closed it down because there's no enough quality manpower, they moved to Penang, in Bayan Lepas plant. They reopened Cyberjaya office as Global Business Center now.

Enough about Dell, what people perceive as reduction in FDI compared to Johor and Selangor have base, but rather when u look closely FDI attracted to Penang especially in electronics and electrical industry now we called it high end FDI, quality FDI that will helped Penang move forward. Yes, Johor receive FDI more but it's because their site is suitable for mass manufacturing process, not high end work like RnD etc. I'm not saying that there's none RnD work being done in Johor but Penang has more of it especially when it comes to EnE sector. It's just a natural process, when things matured, it's time to move upward. People are worried when Intel declared $1.2 billion plant in Vietnam but hey, it's actually what they have invested in Penang more than 10 years ago.

Osram story..anyone? As Penang electronics sector matured, next step is biotechnology. That's what Singapore is doing now. And Penang has just started the process. There's 2 company from UK if i'm not mistaken started their biotech operation in Bukit Minyak. For more info you can go to PDC website. Penang's advantage when it comes to agriculture is that, we're slowly developing biotech with helps and experiment materials coming in from Kedah, Perlis and Perak. That's why, apart from helping rural people in these states, Pak Lah economists realize that they can use Penang advantage of developing biotech industry. There's no other states in Malaysia that's better than this other than Penang, i'm not exaggerating but that is the truth. We're now strengthening our position in RnD high end sector and making headway in biotech. Crop can be better utilize with help from biotech companies in Penang. Of course we will not see this kinda development by next year but in 5-10 years, you will finally see it. Disadvantage? Singapore is already 10 tiang ke depan because they start early.

Kulim high tech park. Why Kulim not Alor Star? Dr M realize then, in near future, landed spaces for electronics industry in Penang will become more expensive, companies will find way to reduce cost of operating by moving out their operation in other areas. So he thinks of Kulim, close to Penang, seaport, airport. Enough said. Instead of going to Vietnam or China, Intel said just go to Kulim. Much closer, many vendors in Penang and most of all, we can save many by mobilizing workforce between the two factories that are close to each other. Since Penang plant already has many experienced engineer, we can trust them and guide them further with IC design for our future chip. We can train and employ entry level engineers in new plant in Kulim. That's it. That's the logic and that's how natural economic transformation. You cant build from the top, you must train yourself from the bottom. It's same with electronics or any industry.

Just as everybody worry about decreasing level of FDI in Johor, there will still be FDI coming into Penang but i think almost all will come in Rnd high end and biotech sector. For mass manufacturing they will go to Johor. Johor industry is diverse so it's understandable they receive more and more FDI. And how many percent of the FDI are from Singapore? How many Singaporean company invest in Penang and how many Singaporean companies invest in Johor? If you cut Singapore FDI from total of received FDI in Johor, will Johor sustain the top place? Geographical location also plays a part. Penang is alone up north. We dont have another Singapore in Hadyai or Danok or Acheh. Penang is doing what's best without any wealthy neighbor such as Singapore.

If i were a Singaporean investor, the logic is hey why go to Penang, Johor is just next door what? Lunch time can go home makan at my own rumah. Also, very easy to export, Changi just less than one hour maaa....why Penang, Penang is nice but it's too far. Although in Johor orang potong tangan mau curi jam, dekat saja so why pergi jauh2? Easy to monitor. Penang has good air cargo facilities tak economy laa you want to transport your goods by air from Penang to Singapore.

Wanna sleep now. Talk about Singapore i have Singapore Airlines Cargo interview hari Sabtu. Wish me luck.

[johnsonooi]

Well said, pilots. good luck mate! This is what I try to explain to other people that have this negative impact on NCER.

Originally Posted by ssangyongs

if anybody realize, electronic sector in Penang has moved up the supply chain by focusing more on high end job and research and development work. Other high tech park has taken penang's role in the entry level assembly job that requires little tech knowledge to be done. That's why after more than a decade of operation, Motorola set up RnD centre for radio tech research in Penang because the industry has matured and ready to accommodate such complex and difficult job. Intel also has their RnD in Penang while plant in Kulim focuses more on like i said before, mass producing chips and assembly works.

Dell chose to have their Asia Pacific assembly plant in Bukit Tengah because of two things, 1. Supply of hardware needed to build a laptop or a PC (plenty of electronics kilang kilang in Penang where we all know Intel and AMD have plants in Penang. Seagate and Komag produce raw hard disk and banyak lagi kilang that take ages to mention here. 2. Penang has excellent cargo airport in Bayan Lepas, where the second advanced cargo centre being manage by MasKargo is there. Some of Dell laptops and PCs also shipped to North America but only small percentage. All Dell laptop and PCs sold in Asia Pacific except China and Japan are produced here in Bukit Tengah. Before, Dell used to have monitoring center in Cyberjaya but they closed it down because there's no enough quality manpower, they moved to Penang, in Bayan Lepas plant. They reopened Cyberjaya office as Global Business Center now.

Enough about Dell, what people perceive as reduction in FDI compared to Johor and Selangor have base, but rather when u look closely FDI attracted to Penang especially in electronics and electrical industry now we called it high end FDI, quality FDI that will helped Penang move forward. Yes, Johor receive FDI more but it's because their site is suitable for mass manufacturing process, not high end work like RnD etc. I'm not saying that there's none RnD work being done in Johor but Penang has more of it especially when it comes to EnE sector. It's just a natural process, when things matured, it's time to move upward. People are worried when Intel declared $1.2 billion plant in Vietnam but hey, it's actually what they have invested in Penang more than 10 years ago.

Osram story..anyone? As Penang electronics sector matured, next step is biotechnology. That's what Singapore is doing now. And Penang has just started the process. There's 2 company from UK if i'm not mistaken started their biotech operation in Bukit Minyak. For more info you can go to PDC website. Penang's advantage when it comes to agriculture is that, we're slowly developing biotech with helps and experiment materials coming in from Kedah, Perlis and Perak. That's why, apart from helping rural people in these states, Pak Lah economists realize that they can use Penang advantage of developing biotech industry. There's no other states in Malaysia that's better than this other than Penang, i'm not exaggerating but that is the truth. We're now strengthening our position in RnD high end sector and making headway in biotech. Crop can be better utilize with help from biotech companies in Penang. Of course we will not see this kinda development by next year but in 5-10 years, you will finally see it. Disadvantage? Singapore is already 10 tiang ke depan because they start early.

Kulim high tech park. Why Kulim not Alor Star? Dr M realize then, in near future, landed spaces for electronics industry in Penang will become more expensive, companies will find way to reduce cost of operating by moving out their operation in other areas. So he thinks of Kulim, close to Penang, seaport, airport. Enough said. Instead of going to Vietnam or China, Intel said just go to Kulim. Much closer, many vendors in Penang and most of all, we can save many by mobilizing workforce between the two factories that are close to each other. Since Penang plant already has many experienced engineer, we can trust them and guide them further with IC design for our future chip. We can train and employ entry level engineers in new plant in Kulim. That's it. That's the logic and that's how natural economic transformation. You cant build from the top, you must train yourself from the bottom. It's same with electronics or any industry.

Just as everybody worry about decreasing level of FDI in Johor, there will still be FDI coming into Penang but i think almost all will come in Rnd high end and biotech sector. For mass manufacturing they will go to Johor. Johor industry is diverse so it's understandable they receive more and more FDI. And how many percent of the FDI are from Singapore? How many Singaporean company invest in Penang and how many Singaporean companies invest in Johor? If you cut Singapore FDI from total of received FDI in Johor, will Johor sustain the top place? Geographical location also plays a part. Penang is alone up north. We dont have another Singapore in Hadyai or Danok or Acheh. Penang is doing what's best without any wealthy neighbor such as Singapore.

If i were a Singaporean investor, the logic is hey why go to Penang, Johor is just next door what? Lunch time can go home makan at my own rumah. Also, very easy to export, Changi just less than one hour maaa....why Penang, Penang is nice but it's too far. Although in Johor orang potong tangan mau curi jam, dekat saja so why pergi jauh2? Easy to monitor. Penang has good air cargo facilities tak economy laa you want to transport your goods by air from Penang to Singapore.

Wanna sleep now. Talk about Singapore i have Singapore Airlines Cargo interview hari Sabtu. Wish me luck.

[cooltemper]

Salute you lar, Pilot.
Wish you all the best for your interview!!!!! See see, we are loosing one talented person to Singapore again. WTF!

By the way, if investPenang need talents, i will first recommended you.

P/S: You can be Penang advisor/ambassador by ganti the so called "Dr" K.

[TWK90]

Here's the story on Osram, in that part it does mention the progress of Osram, here in Penang in terms of production...

Source : http://www.theedgedaily.com/cms/cont...96c20-5bc33113

18-07-2007: Osram to invest triple-digit million euros in LED plant
by Jonathan Chen
Email us your feedback at fd@bizedge.com


Osram Opto Semiconductors (Osram OS) will be investing "triple digit" million euros in its operations here to build the world's most advanced light emitting diode (LED) chip fabrication plant on the island.

Its chief executive officer and president Datuk Dr Ruediger Mueller said the new plant would have a floor space of more than 30,000 sq m in addition to its existing 90,000 sq m plant.

He said the new fabrication plant would have an annual production capacity equivalent to a chip area of over 500 sq m, of which 99% of production would be destined for the global LED market.

"Production is expected to start in the spring of 2009," he told reporters after the ground-breaking ceremony of its new plant here yesterday.

"It is expected that the new plant would provide an additional 800 new jobs which will bring our total headcount here to over 3,000," he said, adding that about 400 jobs would be in its LED chip fabrication activities.

"The new plant here will be the second LED chip factory after our plant in Regensburg, Germany. It is the first time that we are exporting central strategic technology know-how to another market outside Osram's home country," Mueller added.

In addition, the capacity of its existing LED assembly line here will be boosted by more that 50% when the new plant is operational.

Osram's Penang operations previously focused on back-end production which includes assembly of LEDs infrared components and high powered lasers, used commonly in the automotive and general lighting industries, as well as other visualisation, sensing and laser applications.

Mueller said its new LED chip fabrication operations would allow it to produce LED chips employing Indium-Gallium-Nitrade technology — a prerequisite for solid state lighting.

He said with the new plant operational, it could now further position itself to cash into increasing high demand of solid state lighting products.

Demands for such products are fast on the rise worldwide with many European nations aiming to ban the use of incandescent light sources in the near future.

For its 2006 fiscal year, Osram OS, a subsidiary of lighting manufacturer OSRAM, recorded sales totalling more that 500 million euros.

[pedang]

New Malaysian economic zone to focus on tourism

Aug 08, 07 | 10:05 am


By Yusof Sulaiman
Malaysia to develop tourism in its northern states.
KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia (eTN) - The newly announced economic development zone in northern peninsular Malaysia will give a fillip to the tourism industry in the northern states.

The Northern Corridor Economic Region (NCER) blueprint was announced last week and will focus on tourism, in addition to diversifying the area into a more modern manufacturing, agricultural, services and logistics center.

"The new NCER tourism master plan will focus on offering tourists unique tourism products that will encourage them to spend more, and stay longer," added Malaysian Prime Minister Abdullah Badawi.

Added Eddy Low, Association of Tourism Attractions in Penang: "The northern states have a wonderful range of heritage, arts and cultural tourism products which are yet to be discovered. We have yet to tell the world our whole story."

Efforts will be made to concentrate on reenergizing and rebranding Langkawi Island and Penang first, and subsequently develop critical mass on two to three other locations on the mainland.

According to the blueprint, the tourism industry in the NCER states requires more tourist destinations with a critical mass of attractions. Islands in the Northern Corridor will be enhanced to become premier destinations for medical tourism, while stepping up the local community's participation in the tourism sector.

Presently, despite many attractive lake resorts and recreational parks in the region, poor maintenance and thinly spread resources has resulted in low visitor interest and volume.

"The new NCER master plan for tourism will focus on offering tourists unique tourism products that will encourage them to spend more and stay longer," added Badawi.

Penang will be promoted as an international MICE destination, as well as the northern hub for medical tourism.

"In the past few years, Penang has successfully focused on developing itself as a regional destination for cultural, heritage and medical tourism," said State Tourism Development Committee Chairman, Teng Chang Yeow. "Unlike Hong Kong and Singapore, Penang is not able to draw the cruise crowd because we don't have the facilities."

To raise Penang's profile as an international MICE destination, an eco-friendly center, Penang Global City Center (PGCC) comprising two iconic towers, a shopping complex and an arts theater will be built on a former turf club land in central Penang.

Designed by a renowned American architect, PGCC will be touted as a 'zero carbon' city community center.

A city garden center, linking the present Botanical Gardens and Youth Garden will also be built. "When fully completed in 15 years it will become a landmark in the Northern Corridor."

Jerejak island, a former penal colony for convicts, will be turned into into the region's medical tourism center.

The state's tourism office is looking at attracting 500,000 foreign patients in the next three years, bringing an estimated revenue of US$30 million. "Our health facilities must meet the high standards, or accredited by US-based bodies, if we want to attract patients from Europe and the US."

To enhance skills in the hospitality industry in the region, a tourism college offering specialized courses will be opened in Balik Pulau, off Penang island.

Penang's thrust as a logistics center will revolve around the announced app. $2 billion major projects under the NCER masterplan. "Penang plays an important role as a key logistics hub," explains Abdullah.

Existing facilities will be expanded and a new central transportation hub will be built in Butterworth on the mainland to integrate land, sea and rail links with the rest of the country.

A public bus system, Rapid Penang, patterned and modeled after a similar system in Kuala Lumpur recently started service with gleaming, 150 new and sleek buses. "Penangites will be going through some exciting times," said Penang Chief Minister Koh Tsu Khoon.

In addition to a new bridge linking the island to the mainland which will be built and financed in a joint venture with the Chinese government, some $1 billion will be spent on a new central transport hub, Penang Outer Ring Road and the Penang Monorail projects.

As host of the Malaysia Tourism Exchange Bureau in 2008, Penang plans to attract more than 200 tourism industry buyers from Asian countries to the island. "There are plans to include buyers from the inter-Pacific region, including the US."

Asserts Prime Minister, Abdullah Badawi, "Suitable incentives will be provided to develop the tourism industry which will enable the industry to become the engine of development for the Northern Corridor.

"The challenge for the tourism industry in the Northern Corridor is to raise the income derived from the industry."

A combined government and private sector initiative, the plan aims to boost the economy and raise income levels in the northern states of Perlis, Kedah, Penang and Perak in peninsular Malaysia.

Covering a span of 18 years, the $51 billion (RM177 billion) masterplan aims to create half a million jobs by 2012, rising to one million by 2018.

[nazrey]

Penang Port Set To Be The Leading Port For NCER
Updated : 14-08-2007
Media : Bernama
Story By : Muna Khalid
via www.biznewsdb.com


PENANG, Aug 14 (Bernama) -- Penang Port is set to be the leading port not only for the Northern Corridor Economic Region (NCER) and also for the Indonesia-Malaysia-Thailand Growth Triangle (IMT-GT) as several key projects are in the pipeline to upgrade the port.

Strategically located along the northwest coast of the peninsula, Penang Port serves some of the busiest trade routes in the region and links Malaysia to more than 200 ports worldwide.

Penang Port Sdn Bhd (PPSB) managing director Datuk Ahmad Ibnihajar said that in line with the port's strategy to be supply-driven, several key projects have been identified in its business plan for 2007-2012.

These include the North Butterworth Container Terminal (NBCT) expansion, North Channel dredging and the construction of a barging centre.

"The developments are in line with the move to elevate its status to a main line port," he told Bernama in an interview recently.

Ahmad said RM672 million will be spent to buy new equipment and upgrade infrastructure to further improve the operational efficiency of the NBCT, making the port on par with the region's top ports.

The NBCT expansion project includes a 600m extension to the existing 900m of wharves and the construction of a new stacking area for export containers directly behind the 600m wharf.

The 177m by 170m new barging centre at the south end of the existing wharf is expected to be completed by 2009.

Also included in the development project is a new back stacking area to the existing 900m wharves. Work on it will begin in 2009 and is expected to be completed in 2010.

"With these projects, the productivity at the port will be revisited, with a new target of crane productivity at more than 30 TEUs (twenty-foot equivalent container units) moves an hour," he said, pointing out that the port now mainly handles feeder ships.

Ahmad said PPSB's major target is to increase the volume of cargo processed at Penang Port to one billion TEUs a year in 2012.

On the North Channel dredging, he said the aim is to increase the depth from 11.5m to 13.5m to serve mother vessels. The cost of the dredging is expected to be RM150 million.

According to him, PPSB is also developing a Centralised Tankage Facilities (CTF) project near the Bagan Ajam toll plaza along the Butterworth Outer Ring Road (BORR), This will be on a 40-ha site along the coast.

"The CTF will include storage tanks for various type of oils and gas, a road tanker loading terminal, gas filling facilities, drumming facilities, blending tanks for bio diesel, lubricants and additives as well as warehousing," he added.

The project's estimated cost is RM1.2 billion and is to be operational by the end of 2013. It will become a hub for moving liquid cargo in and out of Malaysia by sea.

The water draft will be about 13m so as to accommodate vessels of up to 50,000 DWT (deadweight tonnes).

Ahmad estimates the volume of liquid cargo to be handled by CTF to average 700,000 metric tonnes a month.

Also in the plan is the relocation and construction of a new Dangerous Goods (DG) Terminal to the south of the Prai Bulk Cargo Terminal, work on which is expected to commence next January and be ready the following November.

He said efforts are being made to redevelop the Swettenham Pier Cruise Terminal with a T-shaped berth 400m long and 12m deep to cater for larger cruise vessels which carry more than 2,000 passengers.

The redevelopment will include facilities for shopping, accommodation and transportation.

"With the upgraded Swettenham Cruise Terminal in operation, Penang will not only become an international cruise ship destination but will also act as a catalyst in the development of the tourism industry," he added.

The RM65 million project had started in May 2006 and is scheduled to be completed next year.

Ahmad also spoke of the intention to upgrade the Tanjong City Marina which has been in operation since October 2005, catering for vessels with a maximum draft of four metres.

It has 102 berths ranging from 11m to 50m and can accommodate up to 140 yachts and boats of various sizes.

"The inner city marina located in Georgetown will be equipped with facilities and services such as customs, immigration and port clearance, 24-hour security, electrical and water supply, shower rooms, refuelling facilities, laundry services and repairs as well as maintenance services," he added.

Furthermore, he said, 400 ha (1,000 acres) will be reclaimed at the north of the NBCT to be developed into container yards and other value added activities like free trade zones, warehousing, logistics, Inland Clearance Depot (ICD), Cold Storage and Halal hub.

According to Ahmad, PPSB will also introduce a fast boat service between the island and the mainland by the end of next year.

"The fast boat, which will be for foot passengers and motorcyclists only, will take half the time for the journey compared to the present ferries that take 15 minutes. We are buying five fast boats to complement the ferry service," he said.

The number of ferries will be reduced from the current eight to five when the fast boat service is introduced and all ferries will eventually be converted to carry only vehicles.

Each fast boat can accommodate 200 passengers and carry up to 50 motorcycles.

"We really hope to get the support of the government in making these projects successful," Ahmad added.

[pedang]

August 16, 2007 16:08 PM

Philips Malaysia To Spur Medical Tourism In NCER

By Massita Ahmad

KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 16 (Bernama) -- Philips Malaysia sees huge potential in the Northern Corridor Economic Region (NCER) in terms of spurring medical tourism.

"There is huge potential whenever tourists come in. Wherever tourists are, facilities are available - that would be an ideal thing," its chairman and chief executive officer Dr Rajah Kumar told Bernama recently.

The NCER masterplan, spanning more than 15 years, will see Langkawi and Jerejak islands turning into premium high-end tourist destinations that could cater as well to health tourism.

"Whether Langkawi or any other places up north, I see it as a huge potential for Philips," said Kumar.

"But it is a question of developing the healthcare industry faster so that the medical tourism can benefit."

Philips has just signed an agreement for the installation of the Philips Achieva 3.0 Tesla Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) system and Ambient Experience Suite at Subang Jaya Medical Centre (SJMC).

The MRI system, costing from about RM10 million, is the first of its kind in Malaysia and second in Asia, and will be operational at SJMC in December.

Commenting on the healthcare industry, Kumar said the RM1 billion industry is growing "very fast," at about six to eight percent a year.

"I think the future growth is going to come from the medical systems segment," he said, adding that the segment is contributing a "substantial portion" to Philips Malaysia.

Philips ranks third in Malaysia's medical systems market and is growing at a double digit rate in the category, said Kumar.

Philips Medical currently accounts for over 20 percent of the Philips Group turnover, up substantially from six percent over the past 10 years.

Meanwhile, SJMC healthcare group chief executive officer Elaine Cheong said the healthcare provider company has plans to open branches in NCER.

"We see NCER as an opportunity for us to go to the north," she said without naming specific locations.

"There are a lot of opportunities for us up north. SJMC is on an expansion plan, so we will be expanding within Malaysia as well as in the Klang Valley itself."

SJMC is a 390-bedded hospital with 89 specialist suites serving 1,600 patients a day. Its 14 operating theatres are equipped to handle a multiplicity of surgical procedures ranging from complex transplants to minimally invasive surgery.

It recently installed Southeast Asia's first 64-slice PET/CT scanner, which is also Asia's fourth installation in the region.

Cheong pointed out that Malaysia offers one of the lowest medical costs in the region together with "competent skills and world class facilities."

-- BERNAMA

[nazrey]

Philips? ..Why not Johnson & Johnson!!
But OKlah...

[nazrey]

Perak State Assembly: Keen interest in Northern Corridor
NST Online » Local News
2007/08/23


THE massive Northern Corridor Economic Region (NCER) garnered much interest in the state assembly yesterday.
There were 19 written questions tabled during the question and answer session, and it took Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Tajol Rosli Ghazali almost an hour to answer all the questions in addition to supplementary ones.

Tajol Rosli told the house that Perak had been designated to focus on the development of human capital among the four states under the NCER.

But, he said, the recent launch brought numerous investment queries and opportunities from the other sectors, including manufacturing and tourism.

To a supplementary question from Datuk Hasbullah Osman (BN-Temenggor), he said the project would benefit more than 700,000 people in the four districts involved, namely Kerian, Larut Matang-Selama, Kuala Kangsar and Hulu Perak.
He also said the state has attracted several projects following the launch of the NCER by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi.

To another question from Rosli Hussin (BN-Trong), Tajol Rosli said a RM15 billion oil refinery project had been approved by the Ministry of International Trade and Industry.

"The state government is in discussion with the respective parties concerned on a compromise which might see the company locating its research and development facilities in Kuala Gula, and the refinery in Tanjung Piandang."

Tajol Rosli later told reporters that the state government was also keen on developing the Royal Belum as an eco-tourism attraction with measures already in place to achieve the goal.

"A developer has agreed to take over the Banding Resort with plans to inject RM500 million in 15 years into the area. They have already started with renovation of the resort and recently bought two boats to serve the tourists."

He also said the state had attracted another party interested to set up a resin factory in Parit Buntar, with investment of around RM2 billion when the project was completed.

It is learnt that the project would be located on a 400ha - site and carried out in two phases.

"We shall see what happens next, but these are opportunities which came knocking following the launching of the NCER.

"So we are optimistic of getting the best out of the project as there are numerous possibilities which we can tap into."

[johnsonooi]

Originally Posted by nazrey

Philips? ..Why not Johnson & Johnson!!
But OKlah...

Did i miss something? Something wrong with my company?

[forrestcat]

Friday August 24, 2007

Influx of funds from Mideast

Billions expected to be pumped into IDR

By YAP LENG KUEN

PETALING JAYA: Middle East investors are set to make their biggest investments in Malaysia so far in the Iskandar Development Region (IDR).

Industry sources believe it will be a major move that will transform the IDR and more than kick start the region as a serious development.

In the past, Middle East investments in Malaysia have been generally below US$1bil each (except for the US$3bil Saudi Telekom deal with Binariang).

This time, it is believed, billions of dollars will be poured into the IDR, of which little has been said in recent months.

Over the next two to three weeks, major announcements are expected from some of the biggest funds in the world that are holding billions of dollars of oil money.

Among these funds, the Abu Dhabi Investment Agency alone has investment assets exceeding US$500bil. The agency is jointly owned by Abu Dhabi Investment Council and the National Bank of Abu Dhabi.

The sectors that these investors are eyeing include infrastructure, banking, property, logistics, construction, engineering, tourism, hotels, theme parks and convention centres.

“It looks like a sea change in the mindset of the Middle East investors towards South-East Asia,” said a senior analyst. Malaysia and Singapore appear to be among their favourite destinations as they have pull factors such as an efficient workforce, good laws, infrastructure and banking facilities.

In South Johor, land is considered still cheap and these investors will be buying in a big way. With the first mover advantage, these investors are expected to return to the Middle East and secure partners for the projects.

It will not be a surprise if a sort of Middle Eastern enclave is formed in the commercial centre of South Johor.

StarBiz recently reported that the takeover of Putrajaya Perdana Bhd by a consortium of Middle Eastern, Malaysian and Singaporean investors was a prelude to further acquisitions in corporate Malaysia.

Talk is that the new Middle Eastern owners of Putrajaya Perdana would be buying more construction companies in Malaysia, with the first expected within 60 days.

The companies will be bought in stages and later merged with Putrajaya Perdana for the latter to have sufficient scale to take on jobs not only in this region but also in the Middle East.

“This would be the first step in our larger plan of creating a global construction giant to capitalise on the increasing demand for construction firms globally, especially in the GCC (Gulf Cooperation Council),” Sheikh Sabah Mohd S. Al-Sabah, a member of the Kuwait’s ruling Al-Sabah family, said in a statement announcing the recent takeover.

A controlling and majority stake in Putrajaya Perdana is being bought for RM390mil in cash by Swan Symphony Sdn Bhd, a special-purpose vehicle owned by the Abu Dhabi-Kuwait-Malaysia Investment Corp and Autron Investment, a subsidiary of Singapore and Australian-listed Autron Corp Ltd.

[cooltemper]

Originally Posted by johnsonooi

Did i miss something? Something wrong with my company?

So Boss Ooi, when you plan to move your head quarter to NCER and built a 100 storey building?

[skyscraperboy]

COMMENT: The excitement over NCER


THE palpable excitement created by Pak Lah’s four-event launch of the Northern Corridor Economic Region (NCER) Masterplan earlier this month may have died down by now, but it surely had left in its wake a heightened sense of expectation, a signal of wonderful things to come that had seemingly bypassed the northern states over the last decade.
Don’t get me wrong, there has been development, but concentrated more further south.

Certainly, Penang had lost its industrial dynamism of the 1970s and 1980s, as with the likes of Mada, Keda, and Perda along with the other regional development initiatives (Dara, Kejora and Kesedar, etc) that were launched with the Third Malaysia Plan (1976-1980), and hogged the third and fourth pages of the local newspapers then.

This time, first with the Iskandar Development Region plan in Johor, and now the second corridor development initiative, the NCER, things are different.

Catching this excitement at the Selinsing event at which Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi launched the Pintar Programme for NCER, I said to Datuk Seri Ahmad Zubir Murshid, group chief executive of Sime Darby Berhad responsible for the design of the NCER Masterplan, "the real hard work now begins"!

The National Implementation Directorate had been working closely with Sime Darby on this high impact corridor development project under the Ninth Malaysia Plan.

It is all the more surprising, this anticipation of things to come, since there had previously been, as early as the late 1970s, an inter-governmental Northern Malaysia Development Committee co-ordinated by the Economic Planning Unit that was charged with co-ordinating the development of the northern states.

It may be that in this new version a new administration is driving it. While the Mahathir administration had emphasised and successfully implemented the country’s industrialisation drive in the 1980s and 1990s, which saw the rise of free trade zones in Penang, Sungai Petani and Kamunting (Taiping) and later Kulim in the north, the NCER is another plank fitted to the National Mission Pak Lah launched with the Ninth Malaysia Plan.

There is also the promise of a third masterplan, the Eastern Development Corridor prepared by Petronas waiting to be launched, that will reinforce this new sense of mission to complete the objective of balanced regional growth, and with the Sabah and Sarawak plans to follow.

The prime minister had initiated the regional corridor approach as one of his "signature projects", to achieve a greater spread of development to address in an integrated way imbalances between regional, rural and urban and sectoral incomes and eradicate poverty.

Each of the corridor development initiatives has its unique opportunities and obstacles to overcome.

If the challenge to the Southern Development Region is to take advantage of the regional spillover from Singapore’s growth without surrendering national sovereignty, then the NCER is primed to achieve regional balance among the four northern states.

In doing so, they will overcome the dominance of Penang during the electronics boom of the 1970s and 1980s, and subsequent 1990s "hollowing out" of industrialisation based on cheap labour from the surrounding states, through regional complementarity in the development of the agriculture, manufacturing and services sectors in the north.

Indeed, the NCER masterplan had re-emphasised the electric and electronic development core extending from Penang Island through Sungai Petani, Kulim and Taiping in the south.

For the Eastern Corridor, the aim is to take advantage of the evident drive and energy of Petronas in the east coast states so as to ensure greater redound of development benefit to the local population.

The crux of regional, or corridor development, as a strategy is, as development economists and other social scientists had advocated, but in vain, since the 1960s, is that development is more than economic growth.

The gross domestic product-growth "fetish" associated with the ascendancy of market economic ideas informed by the now-defunct Washington Consensus over the last three decades, is currently being replaced by a three-pronged issue of how to develop and finance rural enterprise, enhance non-farm incomes, and improve living standards in sophisticated and complex economies, in an environment dictated by globalisation, liberalisation and national competitiveness.

This strategy is emphasised in a recent Asian Development Bank study, which highlights the downside on the poor of a regionwide boom launched by the post-war rise of Japan and subsequently driven by the dynamic growth of China and India.

Economic growth in the Greater Klang Valley, the Central Development Corridor, if you will, has developed to such an extent that it is possible to declare the Klang Valley a "world region" comparable to Singapore in terms of enterprise, infrastructure, employment and incomes. The three corridor development initiatives are the prime minister’s answer to the over-concentration of development in the central region.

No doubt, you will say, though some will contest, that Malaysia’s great achievements up to this 50th anniversary of our independence have, like the proverbial rising tide, lifted all boats. But many of those boats leak, if you know what I mean.

The answer is not to just plug the leaks — because that is not sustainable in the long run — but, to carry on the analogy, to build more boats (read jobs). That is what I think is the significance of the corridor development strategy being pushed by Pak Lah. Hence the excitement over the NCER announcement.

As I said to Zubir, there’s going to be a lot of hard work. This time around, these masterplans, unlike previous regional "projects" which are a means for federal intervention at the state level or a mechanism to deliver interstate development allocations, are planned and will be largely delivered by the private sector.

In the NCER, of the projected RM177billion capital to be spent until 2025, two-thirds are supposed to come from private injections. Whether under PFI (private-funded initiatives) or direct foreign and domestic investment, this calls for efficiencies and co-ordination between the government and private sectors that reach beyond previous capacities.

The people of the northern states expect no less if they are to benefit from these ambitious and massive development projects.


Datuk Kamal Salih is an adviser to the National Implementation Task Force, a high-level committee which maps out the Regional Development Corridors’ Masterplan.

[cattivo]

govt need to hurry up on the double-railway project because that's the key of development throughout the peninsular Malaysia.
imagine we could live in Batu Ferringhi & working in KL, plus people spending distribution could be fair throughout West Malaysia than just focus in Klang Valley.