ALOR STAR: The Kedah state government will open Kulim Hi-Tech Park 2 (KHTP2) to accommodate future high-technology investments in the southern part of the state, once the global economy recovers from its current slump.
State Industry and Investment Committee chairman Datuk Dr Ku Abdul Rahman Ku Ismail said the state has identified a 2,800ha land for the purpose.
Ku Abdul Rahman (BN-Guar Chempedak) said KHTP2 would complement existing KHTP, which is reaching its maximum capacity.
"The land on Phase 4 of KHTP is nearing its maximum capacity, so the state government has decided to open KHTP2 on a 7,000ac (2,800ha) land to accommodate future investments," he said, responding to a question from Chua Tiong Gee (BN-Kulim) on the state investment at the State Legislative Assembly to debate on the state's Budget 2017.
He added that besides KHTP2, the state government was also opening new industrial areas to spur economic growth, namely the Kedah Science and Technology Park (KSTP), Kedah Rubber City and Kedah Integrated Fishing Terminal (KIFT).
Ku Abdul Rahman also told the House that the state government was in the process of luring investors from China to Kedah, such as in KIFT and other sectors while companies from German and the United States remained as top investors in Kedah.
In responding to a supplementary question from Datuk Amiruddin Hamzah (Pas-Anak Bukit) on the state's government plan to develop local Small and Medium Industries (SMIs), he said the state was encouraging multi-national companies (MNCs) to bring along their vendors to Kedah.
"In fact, the main reason we developed KSTP is to attract SMIs to the state to complement the MNCs operation in Kulim," he said.