PAHANG, 26 FEBRUARY 2020: The newly completed Kuantan 188 tower (formerly known as Menara Teruntum) at the heart of Kuantan Waterfront, an iconic and strategic landmark developed by the Federal Government through the East Coast Economic Region Development Council (ECERDC), has been handed over to the Pahang state government today.
A ceremony to signify the handover was held at the grounds of Kuantan 188. Menteri Besar of Pahang, YAB Dato’ Sri Wan Rosdi bin Wan Ismail received the keys to the tower from Encik Baidzawi Che Mat, Chief Executive Officer of the East Coast Economic Region Development Council (ECERDC).
“ECERDC is proud to hand over Kuantan 188 to the Pahang state government, following the successful completion of this iconic and strategic public infrastructure. This new landmark is the pride of Kuantan and Pahang, being the tallest tower in the East Coast and second tallest tower in Malaysia, after KL Tower. I am confident that this new icon will be able to spur tourism into the state as well and bring about spillover socio-economic activities that will benefit the rakyat,” said Encik Baidzawi during the handover ceremony.
“The Federal Government, through ECERDC, has been working closely with the Pahang State Government to implement various high-impact public projects in the effort to realise the Government’s vision of Shared Prosperity. We are proud to have played a role in realising the construction of this iconic Kuantan 188 project. It is part of our strategy to “create destinations” by laying the foundation needed to generate interest and add value to surrounding areas that could boost tourism and other economic activities,” he added.
Kuantan 188 is the latest landmark to be completed in the East Coast Economic Region (ECER). The design concept of the tower, with its upright and tapered profile, is inspired by the shape of the traditional Malay spear tips, as found on the Pahang State Coat of Arms. The design of the tower’s viewing deck is inspired by the flowers and leaves of the White Teruntum plant.
Kuantan 188 is part of a series of projects to enhance the Kuantan Waterfront, a premium asset that needs to be preserved and optimised for the local population. The tower is designed to be a major tourist attraction for both local and foreign tourists. From the tower’s viewing deck located 92 metres above ground, visitors can enjoy spectacular 360-degree views of Kuantan City and the Kuantan River. Other attractions include a restaurant at 98 metres above ground, an open viewing deck, skywalk and a guided fall platform at 104 metres above ground. The tower also boasts an imposing 66-metre steel spire, which the adventurous are allowed to climb up to 160 metres above ground.
Construction of the project begun in August 2017 and was completed in September 2019. The Certification of Completion and Compliance (CCC) was issued in November 2019. It is expected to be fully operational and open to the public by August this year.
“Kuantan 188 will complement other tourism attractions that showcase the richness of Pahang’s history and heritage, as well as its natural endowments. With its viewing decks, restaurant and other activities available in the tower, as well as the surrounding attractions in the wider Kuantan Waterfront development, it will be a tourist magnet for years to come. This will result in spillover effects that will further spur the socio-economic development of ECER, particularly in Pahang,” said Encik Baidzawi.
Apart from Kuantan 188, other tourism projects in Pahang implemented by ECERDC that have been completed last year include upgrading of facilities at the National Elephant Conservation Centre in Kuala Gandah, the interactive Rainforest Discovery Centre at Taman Negeri Endau-Rompin and Temerloh Titik Tengah Semenanjung (TTTS).
This iconic project is part of the overall strategy that ECERDC has envisioned for Pahang’s development. Under the ECER Master Plan 2.0 (EMP2.0), Pahang is expected to attract RM31 billion in private investments by 2025, which in turn will generate over 50,000 job opportunities and create more than 23,000 entrepreneurial opportunities.
The state of Pahang has witnessed tremendous economic growth in the past decade as a key investment destination for the ECER. Pahang is well-established in the manufacturing, tourism, and oil, gas and petrochemical clusters in ECER, as reflected by the strong presence of investors in its key industrial parks which include the Malaysia-China Kuantan Industrial Park (MCKIP), Pekan Automotive Park (PAP), Pahang Technology Park, and Gambang Halal Park.
“ECERDC’s efforts are intended to benefit the locals by spurring greater job and entrepreneurial opportunities. Private investments and ongoing development in Kuantan and Pahang have shown positive impact for the Rakyat. This is very much in line with the vision of Balanced Regional Growth under the Shared Prosperity Vision of the government,” concluded Encik Baidzawi.
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About ECER and ECERDC
The East Coast Economic Region Development Council (ECERDC) is a statutory body established to spearhead the execution and implementation of the East Coast Economic Region (ECER) Master Plan. ECERDC plays a lead role in setting the directions, policies and strategies for the socio-economic development of ECER by promoting and facilitating investments into the Region.
ECER, which covers the states of Kelantan, Terengganu, Pahang and the district of Mersing in Johor, is a rapidly transforming region that is steadily positioning itself as a distinctive, dynamic and competitive destination for investments.
Geographically, it covers a total area of over 66,000 sq km or 51% of Peninsular Malaysia. It is home to some 4.3 million people, or about 15% of the total national population. The economic growth in the Region is driven by six key economic clusters; namely Tourism, Oil, Gas & Petrochemical, Manufacturing, Agribusiness, Human Capital and Entrepreneurship Development as well as Logistics and Services. These clusters are supported by developments in Transportation, Infrastructure, Property and Environment to make the Region an ideal destination for business, investment and quality living.
For media inquiries, kindly contact:
Tengku Mazlinda Tengku Mahmood
Manager, Media Relations
East Coast Economic Region Development Council (ECERDC)
Tel: 03-8885 0182 / 010-408 1085
email: mazlinda@ecerdc.com.my