KOTA BARU: The Kelantan government has acknowledged that it is unable to attract foreign investors to the state due to the lack of a port and an incomplete infrastructure and communications network.
State Investment, Industry, Human Resources, Trade and Entrepreneurship Committee chairman Datuk Md Anizam Ab. Rahman said the matter was identified by the state government from feedback received from foreign investors.
"We found that investors are more interested and choose to invest in areas that are close to or have ports.
"This to facilitate their trade and to make easy for the goods to be brought into the state.
"In addition, the less than perfect infrastructure network including Lingkaran Tengah Utama Expressway, the Kuala Krai Expressway and the East Coast Rail Link Project (ECRL) is also an obstacle for us to attract investors to the state," he said.
Md Anizam said this when replying to Mohd Syahuddin Hashim (BN-Galas) at the state assembly sitting here today.
He added other constraints faced by the state government in attracting investment to the state included project site and land issues.
However, Md Anizam said he has established a technical and implementation committee to deal with the constraints and implement solutions based on the responses of the foreign investors.
"For example, an investor wants a site of 1618.7 ha to 2023.4 ha by the sea. So, the state government needs to provide the land before investors come to Kelantan," he said.
The Kemahang assemblyman said the state government is intensifying promotions to attract more investors to the state.
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