KUALA LUMPUR: Pahang has secured RM56.4 billion domestic and foreign investments and created some 52,169 jobs as at December 2016.
In a statement today, the East Coast Economic Region Development Council (ECERDC) said, the strong performance was driven by the state’s robust growth in the manufacturing sector, which contributed 51 per cent to total investments.
Other key contributors were tourism (26.3 per cent) and oil, gas and petrochemical (7.3 per cent), it said.
ECERDC said the four industrial parks in Pahang – Malaysia-China Kuantan Industrial Park (MCKIP), Gambang Halal Park, Pekan Automotive Park and Kuantan Integrated Biopark – attracted RM19.54 billion in total private investments and created some 21,460 job opportunities.
Meanwhile, ECERDC said, Kuantan Port, currently undergoing expansion works, was set to offer investors in MCKIP one of the fastest routes to major ports in China and Asia-Pacific markets.
Kuantan Port, upon its completion, would be able to handle 52 million tonnes of bulk and container cargo, (double its current capacity) and strengthen its position as the gateway to Asia-Pacific, it said.
ECERDC said agribusiness in Pahang showed great potential with the new milk processing plant at Muadzam Shah Cattle Research and Innovation Centre (MSCRIC).
The plant, expected to be ready by this year, would enable the anchor company, Holstein Milk Co, to boost its milk production in Pahang and reinforce the centre as Malaysia’s largest dairy producer, it said.
Holstein’s dairy products, sold under the Farm Fresh brand, currently commands more than 39 per cent of the local market share in the fresh milk segment.
ECERDC, through its human capital development programmes in 2016, generated about 2,448 job opportunities through some 971 entrepreneurs for the local communities.
Chief Executive Officer, Datuk Seri Jebasingam Issace John, said ECERDC hoped to reach out to 1,350 budding entrepreneurs via the ECER entrepreneur programme in 2017.
“We will be working with Universiti Teknologi MARA to groom 20 batik entrepreneurs to promote our batik and textile industry to cater to international markets,” he said. --Bernama