Development Of 5 Economic Corridors On Schedule, says Abdullah

5/3/2010 — BERNAMA
Development of the five regional economic corridors under the Ninth Malaysia Plan to achieve balanced development in the country is according to schedule, its adviser Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi said Monday.
Abdullah, the former prime minister, said the government had placed a commitment of 75 per cent on the Sarawak Corridor of Renewable Energy (SCORE), Iskandar Malaysia, East Coast Economic Region (ECER), Northern Corridor Economic Region (NCER), and Sabah Development Corridor (SDC), with the remainder to be continued under the 10th Malaysia Plan.
“Up to now I am satisfied with the progress in the five corridors although some corridors are still behind, but overall the development has followed the schedule set,” he told reporters at a press conference after a meeting and briefing on the status in the implementation of programmes and projects in the five corridors here Monday.
Abdullah said the government had spent RM244.3 billion on the development in five corridors concerned and expected funds for the remaining 25 per cent of its commitment for the development to be spent under the 10th Malaysia Plan.
Nevertheless, he said, the commitment to develop the regional corridors should not be that of the government alone but also needed the private sector’s involvement.
According to Abdullah, there are still many opportunities from the development of the economic corridors, specially from jobs offering higher income to skilled workers.
He said the government had continued to provide a fund of RM2 billion to all the corridors which required extra allocations, particularly those still behind in infrastructure facilities.
On Tuesday, Abdullah is expected to be in Bintulu to visit the project site of the Samalaju Bintulu industrial area.