Kuantan Conurbation identified as a key growth centre

4/9/2011 — The Star
The Government is set to make Kuantan, and areas stretching right to Pekan, into the next urban development cluster after the Klang Valley, Penang and Johor Baru.
The area, known as the Kuantan Conurbation, will cover the city and its port as well as Gambang, Gebeng and Pekan.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak said here on Saturday that the area will be at the heart of the East Coast Economic Region Special Economic Zone (ECER SEZ).
He added that the Kuantan Conurbation has been identified as a key growth centre to spur development in the east coast and to correct regional imbalance.
“It will be the next urban agglomerate after the Klang Valley, Penang and Johor Baru.
“It will continue to experience development with significant contribution towards the Gross National Income,” he said, when launching the Pekan Automative Park (PAP) central marketing complex here.
Najib added the Government was set to make the PAP into a “green park” to produce eco-friendly vehicles as well as related products and infrastructure to boost the industry.
To achieve this, the Government, through the ECER Development Council is offering a competitive package of fiscal and non-fiscal incentives for manufacturers and assemblers of vehicles and auto components who used the park.
“The incentives are for investors looking for an automotive supply and distribution base within Asean and the Asia-Pacific region,” he said.
Najib said the PAP was the “first mover” in the production of environmentally-friendly vehicles, such as electric cars, and related technologies, including battery supplies, transportation infrastructure and renewable energy.
He added he was pleased that the park had attracted well-known industry players such as Isuzu Hicom Malaysia, DRB-Hicom Defence Technologies, Mercedes-Benz Malaysia and Suzuki.
Najib said PAP was one of the 22 high-impact projects that had been approved by the Government within the ECER SEZ.
Other projects include petrochemical complexes in Gebeng and Kertih, the Gambang Halal Park, palm oil clusters, the Kuantan Port expansion, the Kuantan Port City development and the Pekan Heritage Tourism project.