JOHOR BARU: A hotel and commercial area for entrepreneurs utilising compact containers as their structures will make their debut in Pengerang by the end of the year.
The joint venture between Perisind Samudra Sdn Bhd and PIJ Holdings Sdn Bhd is part of the upcoming Pengerang Oil and Gas City project.
Among other things, it will comprise 400 units of the Lakeview Terrace hotel, which offers premium accommodation for the growing work force in Pengerang.
Perisind Samudra chief executive officer Mohd Shafiee Mohd Sanip said there was a big demand for accommodation from workers in multinational companies who were now involved in the development of the oil and gas hub in Pengerang.
"There are about 3,000 professionals, contractors and other support workers from China, Taiwan, South Korea and Malaysia in Pengerang who are involved in the oil and gas hub. This demand cannot be met with the 700 rooms available in nearby Desaru.
"Within a few years, the work force is likely increase to 10,000 and there will be more demand for premium accommodation and facilities such as restaurants, laundromats, gymnasiums and others," he said.
Shafiee said out of the 400 units of Lakeview Terrace hotel, 200 of them will be operational by September.
The Pengerang Oil and Gas City will also have 40-unit incubator for Bumiputera entrepreneurs to start-up their business ventures, and another commercial area called #Kotakniaga which will complement the Lakeview Terrace hotel.
The incubator and #Kotakniaga commercial area is being built at a cost of RM5million. All of them are being built with compact containers, which are known for their cost-effective and sturdy nature.
The #Kotakniaga is designed based on the pop-up retail concept for short-term sales spaces.
Johor Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin had on Sunday launched the incubator under the Johor Entrepreneur Incubator Project, and announced a RM3million allocation from the state government for this purpose.
Shafiee said the entire project would be a catalyst for the business community in Pengerang to benefit from the spillover effect of the Pengerang Integrated Petroleum Complex (PIPC), which is currently being developed.
The PIPC is made up of two components: the RM5 billion Pengerang Independent Deepwater Terminal as well as the RM60billion Petronas Refinery and Petrochemical Integrated Development (Rapid).
"Perisind Samudra wants to be a catalyst for local entrepreneurs to start their own business ventures. There is a market for it, and if this is done, Pengerang folk need not travel 100km away to Johor Baru to obtain opportunities in business.
Pengerang member of parliament Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said said local content was important for the incubator project, and she hoped that at least 40 to 50 per cent of the participants would be from Pengerang.
"There is a need to ensure that local content and local entrepreneurs will benefit directly from the project. The project is a good thing, but we must ensure that the people in Pengerang will become an important part of it,"she said.