BINTULU: Singapore’s investment community should come to Sarawak to see first hand the development of Sarawak Corridor of Renewable Energy (SCORE) and the area’s vast potential for growth.
According to Regional Corridor Development Authority (RECODA) Chief Executive Officer Tan Sri Datuk Amar Wilson Baya Dandot, international investors, especially from Singapore, should thus take a closer look at the great investment opportunities in the five growth nodes of SCORE.
“I hope the investors from Singapore will have the opportunity to visit the growth nodes in SCORE, not only for energy-intensive industries but also for tourism and agro-based industries.
“There are plenty of opportunities in SCORE and Samalaju Growth Node is a good launching pad for investors,” said Tan Sri Datuk Amar Wilson, in a press release issued in conjunction with a briefing by RECODA for Singapore’s Second Minister for Foreign Affairs, Grace Fu in Samalaju Industrial Park near here, yesterday.
The RECODA CEO also took note that both the Singaporean Minister and the High Commissioner of Singapore to Malaysia, His Excellency Ong Keng Yong commented that investments in the growth nodes are very focused and structured, which is an acknowledgement of SCORE’s success to date.
He also pointed out that one of the pioneer investors in the Samalaju Growth Node was a Singapore-based company, which is currently constructing its ferrosilicon production facility.
For the Samalaju Growth Node, the Samalaju Industrial Park continues to see rapid change and RECODA noted that the relevant infrastructure, which is implemented by Bintulu Development Authority (BDA) and Public Works Department (JKR) Sarawak, has been keeping up with the pace, as well.
The first phase of the Samalaju water supply project has been completed and now the second phase is near completion; to meet the growing demand of the companies in the industrial park that are just starting to manufacture their products.
Apart from that, Tan Sri Datuk Amar Wilson reiterated that work on crucial infrastructure was going ahead at a rapid pace throughout the other growth nodes; to ensure SCORE’s current development momentum is maintained, sustained and accelerated.
Among the top priorities for RECODA is to coordinate, liaise, monitor, facilitate or oversee the implementation or execution of Federal-funded infrastructure projects approved by the State Planning Authority or any other government agency within the growth nodes of SCORE.
Meanwhile, yesterday Fu, who is also the Minister in the Prime Minister’s Office and Second Minister for the Environment and Water Resources, took the opportunity to visit the OM Sarawak Ferro Alloy Smelting Plant – a facility owned by a Singaporean joint-venture company – during her tour of the Samalaju Industrial Park.
She also visited the Samalaju Port and the Samalaju Water Treatment Plant – two iconic landmarks in this fast-developing growth node.
Also present at the briefing were Director-General of Singapore’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Lim Hong Huai; Bintulu Resident, Haji Muhammad Yakub bin Kari; and Samalaju Properties Sdn Bhd Chief Executive Officer, Dato Isaac Lugun.