Langkawi To Have Two New Landmarks

LANGKAWI (Kedah, Malaysia), Nov 11 (Bernama) -- Prime Minister Najib Razak Sunday officiated the groundbreaking ceremony for two new landmarks in Langkawi -- Hotel St Regis Langkawi and Langkawi International Convention Centre (LICC). In his speech, Najib said Malaysia will assume the ASEAN chairmanship in 2015 and he wanted the ASEAN Summit, expected in April 2015, to be held at LICC. The projects, undertaken by Rajawali Group, were expected to be completed in 15 months. Rajawali Group Chairman, Peter Sondakh, said the company started its investment in Langkawi in 2005 with the acquisitions of Westin Hotel Resort and Spa Langkawi. He said Langkawi has great potentials to attract international high-end tourists. "We upgraded our hotel from time to time in the last five years. We can play our part to put Langkawi to the world map," he said in his speech at the groundbreaking ceremony. Sondakh said the two projects will create more jobs and help boost the island's economy. "We need assistance from federal and state governments, Langkawi Development Authority and the Ministry of Finance. Tourism is the key element to develop the island," he said. Meanwhile, Rajawali Diector Integrated Nautical Resort (Subsdiaries), Ferry Ma'aruf, said the company will spend over US$125 million (RM400 million) to build the hotel and convention centre, which were situated next to Westin Hotel Resort and Spa Langkawi. The hotel will cost US$97.99 million (RM300 million) and the LICC over US$31.25 million (RM100 million), he said. Langkawi is an archipelago of 104 islands in the Andaman Sea, some 30km off the mainland coast of northwestern Malaysia. The islands are a part of the state of Kedah. -- BERNAMA