February 19, 2024 — Penang is set to cement its status as the leading state for manufacturing in the country following the groundbreaking ceremony of its Batu Kawan Industrial Park III.

Scheduled to be completed within the next few years, the park will complement the existing industrial parks around the state, especially the Bayan Lepas Free Industrial Zone, which is the backbone of its electrical and electronics subsector.

Such industrial parks are poised to yield positive economic benefits not only to Penang but also to the northern region, said Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow.

He was speaking at the groundbreaking ceremony of the park, which was officiated by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim yesterday.

According to Chow, the park is the tenth industrial park developed by Penang Development Corporation (PDC) at RM2.2 billion.

“This proves the state government’s commitment, through PDC, to providing more industrial parks to meet the demand from both foreign and domestic investors. Spanning over 407 acres, the park is expected to be fully completed in August 2031.”

Chow said that there are four phases in total, with the first phase scheduled to be completed in October 2025 covering 60 acres.

“Once fully operational, it can cater to industrial land demands, especially from multinational corporations (MNCs), large local companies (LLCs) and small-medium industries (SMIs). This initiative will bring greater development to Penang and the northern region,” said Chow, who is also the Batu Kawan MP.

Anwar noted that with the continuous cooperation and synergy between the state and the Federal governments, it will surely achieve more success that can benefit the state and the country.

Among those present were State Secretary Datuk Rosli Isa, Deputy Chief Minister I Prof Datuk Dr Mohamad Abdul Hamid, Deputy Chief Minister II Jagdeep Singh Deo, former Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng, Bukit Tambun assemblyman Goh Choon Aik and PDC chief executive officer Datuk Aziz Bakar.

Source: The Vibes