MCKIP To Further Enhance Bilateral Trade Between Malaysia-China

By Zarul Effendi Razali KUALA LUMPUR, April 19 (Bernama) -- The Malaysia-China Kuantan Industrial Park (MCKIP), expected to take off within the next six months, will enhance bilateral trade between the two countries. The MCKIP is a government-to-government initiative, announced to reciprocate the China-Malaysia Qinzhou Industrial Park, launched by the Prime Minister Najib Razak on April 1 this year. The 607-hectare park is sited within the East Coast Economic Region (ECER) at Gebeng town in Kuantan, Pahang. ECER's Chief Executive Officer Jebasingam Issace John said the MCKIP would provide new opportunities for Malaysian businessmen and create jobs for the local economy as well. "It will create new entrepreneurial opportunities for locals, particularly, the small and medium enterprises. "We should be able to see the positive impact from the park within the next five years," he told Bernama in an interview. The key components of the industrial park include plastic, metal, electric and electronics, consumer products and renewable energy, Jebasingam said. "Malaysian businesses and businessmen from the area will be able now to enter into joint ventures with the Chinese partners to develop these industries," he said. He also said the industrial park is not a "stand alone", but within the Kuantan Port city, which covers 30,000 hectares of an integrated industrial and logistics hub. "We had previously got the Kuantan Port, the Palm Oil Industry Cluster, Petrochemicals Cluster, and the Halal Park here. It's not just taking on a new facility," he added. Jebasingam said besides the collaboration between Malaysia and China businesses, other foreign investors, are also being welcomed to enter into joint ventures with local businesses. The MCKIP is basically a private sector initiative, with the Federal government as facilitator. Kuantan was chosen for the project as it has a port that faces the South China Sea, which is the most direct link to the deepwater Qinzhou port, and others in the Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region. Sea travel between Kuantan and Qinzhou takes a mere three days and by air, three hours. The state government is also committed to the MCKIP's development to ensure the industrial park's speedy implementation, especially in matters of land allocation and approval. -- BERNAMA