©New Straits Times
(Used by permission)
by : Lee Keng Fatt, Marina Emmanuel and Audrey Dermawan
Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi (left) and Tan Sri Dr Koh Tsu Koon (second from left) looking at a model of Penang’s development under the Northern Corridor Economic Region in Butterworth yesterday.
BUTTERWORTH: Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi yesterday declared Penang as the logistics and transportation hub for the Northern Corridor Economic Region (NCER).
The prime minister said several major projects would be
carried out, including the expansion of Penang Port and the Penang International
Airport as well as the RM2 billion integrated terminal for rail, road and sea
travel known as "Penang Sentral".
Although the state already possesses good logistics, such as ready access to the
North–South Expressway, the Penang Bridge, a deep–water port and an
international airport, Abdullah said the various projects were necessary in
anticipation of an increase in economic activities within the NCER.
"With the many projects taking shape, Penang will serve as the gateway to the
Northern Corridor.
"Also, with the increase in sophisticated logistics capabilities, the state will
strengthen its position as the best logistics and transportation hub for the
Indonesia–Malaysia–Thailand Growth Triangle (IMT–GT)," he said after the
launching ceremony of the NCER’s Penang package here.
Present were Chief Minister Tan Sri Dr Koh Tsu Koon and
Menteri Besar of Perlis Datuk Seri Shahidan Kassim, his counterparts from Kedah,
Datuk Seri Mahdzir Khalid and Perak, Datuk Seri Mohd Tajol Rosli.
Also present were cabinet ministers, Sime Darby chairman Tan Sri Ahmad Sarji
Abdul Hamid and group chief executive officer Datuk Seri Ahmad Zubir Murshid.
More than 10,000 people attended the ceremony held at the Seberang Prai
Municipal Council community hall in Jalan Bagan Luar, which Abdullah later
renamed Dewan Datuk Haji Ahmad Badawi, after his late father.
He also officiated the ground–breaking ceremony for Penang Sentral and flagged
off the much–awaited inaugural RapidPenang public bus service.
RapidPenang is a subsidiary of RapidKL and a government–owned company under the
Ministry of Finance Incorporated.
Abdullah said the state would also introduce rapid ferry services next year and
the 37–km light monorail transit system.
"The state’s role is of utmost importance in determining the success of the
whole NCER initiative."
Abdullah also announced the setting up of the micro–electronics excellence
centre to further boost the manufacturing sector.
He said the centre would be a partnership between the government and private
sector.
"The centre will be used to develop the local workforce to enable it to take on
high–tech value–added activities," he said, adding that multinational
corporations (MNCs) would be roped in to help in research and development
efforts.
Abdullah also touched on the need for the state to promote itself as a premier
tourist destination as well as a place for meeting, incentive, convention and
exhibition (MICE) activities.
He said the existing Penang Turf Club in Batu Gantong would be developed into
the Penang Global City Centre (PGCC), similar to the Kuala Lumpur City Centre (KLCC).
Also, Pulau Jerejak will be developed for medical tourism.
Abdullah said the participation of the private sector would accelerate growth in
the NCER.
He said Khazanah Nasional Bhd had opened an office in the state to attract more
investments from government–linked companies and corporations.