5/10/2011 — New Straits Times
Terengganu will forge ahead to become a developed state by 2020 with its focus on economic diversification to
lessen its reliance on oil and gas revenues.
Terengganu Regency Representative Council member Tengku Sri Bendahara Raja Tengku Mustafa Kamel Sultan Mahmud Shah said education, tourism, agriculture and manufacturing would be strengthened to become the backbone of the state s economic prosperity.
“Terengganu s gross domestic product for this year is projected to be RM16.2 billion with the per capita GDP at RM15,091,” he said at the opening of the state assembly yesterday.
He said the rapid rise of the manufacturing sector could be seen in its contribution of RM4.5 billion or 29.6 percent of the state GDP last year.
“As a state within the East Coast Economic Region (ECER), Terengganu has projected itself to be a regional economic powerhouse,” he said.
Eight ECER projects in the state are at the implemenation stage as at Feb 15.
He said eight more projects would be implemented by the middle of this year under the 10th Malaysia Plan.
“The ECER Development Council is also studying the possibility of establishing a high speed train service linking Kuala Lumpur and Kelantan through Terengganu,” he said.
Tengku Mustafa said information and communication technology (ICT) and e-book usage would continue to spearhead the state’s drive for education excellence.
“The state government had introduced virtual classrooms in SK Paya Bunga, SK Teluk Kalong and SK Kompleks Seberang Takir early this year.
“By the end of the year, at least 32 more schools will have the facility,” he said.
He said the school upgrading programme under the state’s Elit, Premier and Imtiaz school programmes had resulted in three schools getting the High Performance School status early this year.
“The recognition given to Sekolah Imtiaz Besut, Sekolah Elit Lembah Bidong and SK Sultan Ismail, Kemaman, as high performance schools, showed that they were doing well not only at state level but also at the national level.”