MERSING, 29 APRIL 2024: The East Coast Economic Region Development Council (ECERDC) has created another destination by upgrading tourist facilities at Taman Negara Johor Endau-Rompin (TNJER) with the completion of Peta Rainforest Discovery Centre (RDC) which has recently been handed over to Johor National Parks for operation. The Peta RDC received its Certificate of Completion and Compliance (CCC) on 18 April 2024 prior to the handing over ceremony and is expected to commence operation in Quarter 3, 2024.

Peta RDC is the second discovery centre completed by ECERDC, the first being the Kinchin Rainforest Discovery Centre in Taman Negeri Rompin which was completed in 2019. The Peta RDC houses a visitors’ complex, management office, public toilets, surau, multipurpose hall and cafeteria. It will become a one-stop centre for visitors to obtain information before exploring and carrying out activities at TNJER, which is among the top eco-tourism attractions in the country.

Concurrently, ECERDC is constructing the Taman Negara Johor Endau-Rompin (TNJER) road from Kahang to Sungai Emas, slated for completion in October 2025. Once completed, the road will establish vital connectivity to Kampung Peta, significantly improving accessibility to both locals and tourists, which in turn, will spur growth in the eco-tourism sector in TNJER, unlocking its full potential.

Johor Menteri Besar YAB Dato’ Onn Hafiz bin Ghazi during the ECER Implementation and Coordination Committee (ICC) Johor meeting, held at ECERDC’s niche homestay project, Kampungstay@Teluk Buih, here, today, commended ECERDC’s role in creating new destinations to boost economic activities in surrounding areas and amplifying the appeal of Mersing’s existing tourism locations.

“The tourism sector is an important growth engine in Mersing, and completed infrastructure projects implemented by ECERDC including Mersing Harbour Centre, Medan Ikan Bakar Endau, development of Tanjung Penyabong Waterfront, as well as the construction and upgrades of public facilities such as jetties and walkways at Pulau Aur, Pulau Sibu and Pulau Pemanggil have contributed to the increase of tourism-related economic activities and socioeconomic growth of the people in Mersing. ECERDC’s effort is in line with Mersing’s ‘Naturally Splendid’ branding and Johor Sustainable Development Plan 2030,” said YAB Dato’ Onn Hafiz bin Ghazi.

Also present at the meeting were ICC Johor members, YB Dato’ Zahari bin Sarip, State Agriculture, Agro-based Industry and Rural Development Committee Chairman; YBrs TPr Saidin bin Lateh, Director of PLANMalaysia @Johor; and YBhg. Dato’ Baidzawi Che Mat, Chief Executive Officer of ECERDC.

“Mersing is envisioned as a niche tourism destination that will serve as the main gateway for coastal and island tourism. ECERDC will continue to work closely with the Johor state government to capitalise on Mersing’s unique strengths and leverage on the district’s eco-tourism, coastal and island tourism potential to generate jobs and entrepreneurial opportunities. The official integration of Segamat into ECER from January 2024 will also bring about positive growth in the district’s tourism sector as well,” said YBhg. Dato’ Baidzawi Che Mat, Chief Executive Officer of ECERDC after the meeting.

After the ICC Johor Meeting, YAB Menteri Besar Johor and the ICC members went to Jemaluang Dairy Valley (JDV) for a working visit to oversee the progress of ECERDC’s second dairy valley project which has reached 75% completion. The JDV project is expected to be completed in September 2025 and once fully operational, it will boost local fresh milk production by producing 5.4 million litres of fresh milk after three (3) years of operation, at the same time contributing to the current self-sufficiency level (SSL) and reducing the country’s dependence on imported fresh milk and dairy products. The project is also expected to develop 30 satellite farmers and create 100 job opportunities.

Apart from JDV, another ECERDC’s agribusiness project, the Endau-Mersing Fisheries Processing Park (EMFPP) which was handed over to Malaysian Fisheries Development Authority (LKIM) last year has attracted three (3) tenants with investments totalling RM6.5 million. Two (2) have already started operation at EMFPP and the third company is expected to commence operations in July 2024.

During the meeting today, the ICC Johor members were also updated on the investments in Mersing from 2008 to 2024. ECERDC’s end-to-end facilitations and close working relationship with the Johor State Government and the Malaysian Investment Development Authority (MIDA) has yielded RM826 million in realised investments which created over 3,200 job opportunities and more than 1,500 entrepreneurial opportunities. For 2024, ECERDC targets to attract committed investments totalling RM100 million to Mersing and Segamat districts.

The ICC Johor members were also briefed on the progress of the feasibility study of the Mersing breakwater, quick win projects for the development of Sungai Mersing’s estuary, upcoming commercial scale chili fertigation programme under Inisiatif Pendapatan Rakyat (IPR) IPR-INTAN in Segamat, as well as the overall development plans for Segamat, which comprise projects in agriculture, tourism and infrastructure development.

END