News 2009-12-08 18:47
JELI, Dec 8 (Bernama) -- The 120-metre bridge across the Golok River, linking Bukit Bunga here and Ban Buketa in Narathiwat, Thailand, is to be renamed the "Bridge of Friendship" to symbolise the deep diplomatic relations between Malaysia and Thailand.
Malaysian Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak and Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva will officiate at the renaming tomorrow in conjunction with their visit to southern Thailand as part of the annual bilateral consultation.
The RM9.2 million bridge was opened on Dec 21, 2007 and has been known as the "Bridge of Goodwill."
On the Malaysian side of the bridge is the RM37.2 million 4-storey Bukit Bunga Customs, Immigration and Quarantine (CIQ) complex which houses the offices of the Immigration Department, Customs Department, Police, Health Department, Forestry Department and Veterinary Services Department.
The construction of the bridge came under the Joint Development Strategy of the border areas launched in 2004 to serve as a catalyst for the transformation of the poor community through benefits derived from the East Coast Economic Region (ECER) development programmes.
ECER is expected to set off transformation in Kelantan and the benefits of the development are expected to spread out to the Malay Muslim community in Narathiwat as well.
Besides the physical development, the Malaysian Malay community can also extend their expertise in human capital development as there is no barrier in terms of language, culture and religion between the communities.
Intensive courses on learning methodology, opportunities to study at Malaysian institutions of higher education institutions or courses on skills could be explored here.
No obstacles stand in the way of Malaysian entrepreneurs seeking to expand their business network and partnerships as their technology is most effective in certain fields, such as agriculture.
The Bridge of Friendship brings hope for the Malay Muslim community in southern Thailand to achieve progress and development after suffering setbacks due to terrorism.
In NARATHIWAT, the Muslim community of southern Thailand is looking forward to the visit of Najib and Abhisit tomorrow, hoping that it will bring peace to the strife-torn region.
Che Hir village headman, Jali, 47, said the people were looking forward to peace and political stability.
"Every day, we hear of murders and shootings but we do not know who is responsible," he told Bernama.
At 6pm yesterday, a bomb went off at the market in Narathiwat, killing a man and his wife while a student of a religious school was shot dead by a band of armed men in a village, 70km from Narathiwat.
A villager of Kampung Ban Pa near Narathiwat, Abdul Rahman Daud, 37, said the people lived in fear and anxiety and hoped that Najib's visit would help to ease the fear.
A trader in Sungai Golok town, Mek Esah Wok, 58, said traders were unable to conduct their business safely owing to the attacks by the irresponsible people.
"We can be killed by a bomb at any time, or shot at by unidentified people, but to earn a living, we must carry on doing what we have to do," she said.
The mother of seven children, two of them girls, is hoping that Najib's visit would help to ease the crisis which has instilled fear in the people.
- Sin Chew -
Saturday, December 12, 2009
Pahang Has Right To Claim Oil Royalty, Says Goverment Supporter
November 19, 2009 17:33 PM
Pahang Has Right To Claim Oil Royalty, Says Goverment Supporter
KUANTAN, Nov 19 (Bernama) -- A government supporter has asked the Pahang government to claim oil royalties from the federal government, claiming that the oil extracted in Terengganu waters could also come from areas in the state.
Datuk Abdul Rahman Mohamad (BN-Padang Tengku), while debating the Pahang government's 2010 Budget in the State Assembly on Thursday, said a consulting firm should be appointed to study the matter in an effort to boost the state's revenue, which had suffered budget deficits for 12 consecutive years.
"Terengganu is given oil royalties, Kelantan gets compassionate payment, but why isn't Pahang given anything when it has the right (to receive royalties)," he said.
Meanwhile, Pahang Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Adnan Yaakob said told the assembly that the first phase of the upgrading and expansion project of Kuantan Port as a manufacturing hub and main logistics centre in the development of the East Coast Economic Region (ECER), would start by end of 2010.
It would entail the construction of wave breakers and the widening and deepening of navigation routes.
He said the project would turn Kuantan Port into a commercial gateway between Malaysia and Asia-Pacific countries while some 50,000 job opportunities would be created by 2020.
-- BERNAMA
Pahang Has Right To Claim Oil Royalty, Says Goverment Supporter
KUANTAN, Nov 19 (Bernama) -- A government supporter has asked the Pahang government to claim oil royalties from the federal government, claiming that the oil extracted in Terengganu waters could also come from areas in the state.
Datuk Abdul Rahman Mohamad (BN-Padang Tengku), while debating the Pahang government's 2010 Budget in the State Assembly on Thursday, said a consulting firm should be appointed to study the matter in an effort to boost the state's revenue, which had suffered budget deficits for 12 consecutive years.
"Terengganu is given oil royalties, Kelantan gets compassionate payment, but why isn't Pahang given anything when it has the right (to receive royalties)," he said.
Meanwhile, Pahang Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Adnan Yaakob said told the assembly that the first phase of the upgrading and expansion project of Kuantan Port as a manufacturing hub and main logistics centre in the development of the East Coast Economic Region (ECER), would start by end of 2010.
It would entail the construction of wave breakers and the widening and deepening of navigation routes.
He said the project would turn Kuantan Port into a commercial gateway between Malaysia and Asia-Pacific countries while some 50,000 job opportunities would be created by 2020.
-- BERNAMA
ECER Council Out To Woo Middle East Investors
November 30, 2009 18:25 PM
ECER Council Out To Woo Middle East Investors
KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 30 (Bernama) -- To create more jobs and drive business opportunities within the East Coast Economic Region (ECER), the ECER Development Council is aiming to attract investments from the Middle East.
Malaysia is expected to attract investments totalling RM9 billion from the Gulf states in the next 10 years, according to the Malaysian Industrial Development Authority.
As of May 2009, 28 manufacturing projects from the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries with investments worth US$1.215 billion were approved.
The projects were in the sectors of basic metal products, food manufacturing, wood and wood products, chemicals and chemical products, petroleum products as well as machinery and equipment.
ECER Development Council's chief executive officer Datuk Jebasingam Issace John said the ECER has many synchronous businesses with the GCC states such as free zones, ports, petrochemical and polymer parks, real estate developments and tourism.
"Malaysia is also known as a progressive Muslim country, which will be comforting to many GCC member countries," Jebasingam said in a statement Monday.
"This, along with the vast business opportunities available, makes Malaysia an ideal place for investment for both business and leisure," he said.
Jebasingam said based on the GCC's previous investments, the ECER's projects in halal food manufacturing, tourism, agriculture and livestock, education, oil and gas as well as its by-products would be appealing.
"In addition, ECER's Special Economic Zone (SEZ) with customised fiscal and non-fiscal incentives will whet the GCC's interest further," he said, adding that the SEZ would have speedy project approvals and project implementation facilitated by the ECER Development Council and the state governments.
According to Jebasingam, the SEZ is also attractive because it is located just two hours from the Klang Valley and has excellent accessibility to ports, airports, roads and railways.
"At 390,000 hectares, the integrated development at SEZ will contain new townships, international tourism sites, four ports, two airports and knowledge innovation zones," he said.
The ECER's key economic developments are in the fields of tourism, oil, gas and petrochemical, manufacturing, agriculture and human capital development.
In addition to encouraging foreign direct investment inflow, the ECER can also tap the full potential afforded by regional economic cooperation and regional market opening following Malaysia's recent liberalisation announcements.
Among the ECER's push for Middle East investments is its participation in the Malaysia Arab Business Forum being held from Nov 30 to Dec 1, 2009.
The forum is jointly organised by the Asian Strategy and Leadership Institute and Malaysia Gulf Cooperation Countries Business Council.
-- BERNAMA
ECER Council Out To Woo Middle East Investors
KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 30 (Bernama) -- To create more jobs and drive business opportunities within the East Coast Economic Region (ECER), the ECER Development Council is aiming to attract investments from the Middle East.
Malaysia is expected to attract investments totalling RM9 billion from the Gulf states in the next 10 years, according to the Malaysian Industrial Development Authority.
As of May 2009, 28 manufacturing projects from the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries with investments worth US$1.215 billion were approved.
The projects were in the sectors of basic metal products, food manufacturing, wood and wood products, chemicals and chemical products, petroleum products as well as machinery and equipment.
ECER Development Council's chief executive officer Datuk Jebasingam Issace John said the ECER has many synchronous businesses with the GCC states such as free zones, ports, petrochemical and polymer parks, real estate developments and tourism.
"Malaysia is also known as a progressive Muslim country, which will be comforting to many GCC member countries," Jebasingam said in a statement Monday.
"This, along with the vast business opportunities available, makes Malaysia an ideal place for investment for both business and leisure," he said.
Jebasingam said based on the GCC's previous investments, the ECER's projects in halal food manufacturing, tourism, agriculture and livestock, education, oil and gas as well as its by-products would be appealing.
"In addition, ECER's Special Economic Zone (SEZ) with customised fiscal and non-fiscal incentives will whet the GCC's interest further," he said, adding that the SEZ would have speedy project approvals and project implementation facilitated by the ECER Development Council and the state governments.
According to Jebasingam, the SEZ is also attractive because it is located just two hours from the Klang Valley and has excellent accessibility to ports, airports, roads and railways.
"At 390,000 hectares, the integrated development at SEZ will contain new townships, international tourism sites, four ports, two airports and knowledge innovation zones," he said.
The ECER's key economic developments are in the fields of tourism, oil, gas and petrochemical, manufacturing, agriculture and human capital development.
In addition to encouraging foreign direct investment inflow, the ECER can also tap the full potential afforded by regional economic cooperation and regional market opening following Malaysia's recent liberalisation announcements.
Among the ECER's push for Middle East investments is its participation in the Malaysia Arab Business Forum being held from Nov 30 to Dec 1, 2009.
The forum is jointly organised by the Asian Strategy and Leadership Institute and Malaysia Gulf Cooperation Countries Business Council.
-- BERNAMA
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