ISKANDAR PUTERI: United Malayan Land Bhd (UMLand) is optimistic of completing the first phase of the Johor Halal Park project in Pasir Gudang near here by year-end.
The project, which began in 2014, is already 45 per cent completed, Mohd Noor Abdul Salam, Chief Executive Officer of Tentu Teguh Sdn Bhd, a subsidiary of UMLand, said.
He said the first phase of the project, spanning over 20.23 hectares, entailed the construction of 89 factories, 36 office units and a science laboratory for local and foreign companies involved in the halal sector.
“The whole of Johor Halal Park costing RM1.5 billion is being developed in three phases covering over a 141.64-hectare site,” he said at a question and answer session following a media briefing on the project, here today.
He said the second phase of the project, starting in the middle of this year, would be completed in 2018, while the third phase, taking off the ground in 2017, would be ready in 2020.
Mohd Noor said despite the economic slowdown and cautious investor sentiment, the company was confident that the project would succeed.
“The halal sector is new to Malaysia and government agencies, including the Islamic Development Department, have been active in promoting the halal accreditation to attract investors to Johor Halal Park.
“The project is expected to attract investors from the Middle East, Europe, China, Taiwan, South Korea, Japan, and Southeast Asia,” he said. -- Bernama