Alam Langkawi Eyes Cable Car, Funicular Projects In Southeast Asia

By Samantha Tan GEORGE TOWN (Penang, Malaysia), March 3 (Bernama) -- Penang-based contractor, Alam Langkawi Sdn Bhd, is eyeing more cable car and funicular projects in Southeast Asia due to its tremendous potential in developing and enhancing the tourism industry. The company's director, Ir Soon Eng Kooi said cable car and funicular systems are new tourism products, able to attract and promote the tourism industry as both create access to mountains and hills, spur development on it while being environmental friendly and safe. "Alam Langkawi has received numerous enquiries, including from Pakistan and Vietnam, to assist in building access to tourist attraction points. They have the attractions but do not know how to develop it," he told Bernama in an interview Saturday. Despite the global economic challenges, Soon said Alam Langkawi is looking forward to a good year ahead, due to rising interest from developers wanting to invest in cable car and funicular projects that can generate income. He said Malaysia should capitalise on its natural resources such as mountains, to develop and enhance the tourism industry, which has been identified as one of the key growth area under the National Key Economic Areas (NKEA). He said Alam Langkawi hopes the two private finance initiative (PFI) cable car projects in Taiping (Perak state) and Malacca, worth about RM140 million (US$46.66 million), can start this year. Alam Langkawi was selected as a turnkey contractor for the projects. Soon said people are sceptical of the cable car and funicular system due to worries over the environment. "A cable car project does not damage the environment if we use right system. We have to capitalise on the potential as people like to visit green areas and mountains but have no opportunity to do so due to the lack of access," he added. He said the cable car development would also bring significant benefits to the local populace by promoting economic regeneration. To enhance the country's image as a potential eco-tourism destination, it is understood that there are five PFI cable car projects other than Malacca and Taiping at Cameron Highlands, Port Dickson and mount Santubong in Sarawak. Among Alam Langkawi's successful projects is the Langkawi Cable Car system to Mount Machinchang, the single pylon suspension bridge at the peak of Mount Machinchang as well as the Penang Hill Funicular upgrading project. -- BERNAMA