242 factories in KK Industrial Park generated RM1.68 bln investments as of Feb 2022 — Joachim
22 Mar 2022
The Sabah State Assembly has been told that 242 factories operating in the Kota Kinabalu Industrial Park (KKIP) have generated investments totaling RM1.68 billion as of February this year.
Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Joachim Gunsalam said this also generated 7,963 job opportunities in various industries at KKIP.
“There were 17 wood-based sector entities; 39 in the food-based sector; 65 in warehousing and other activities involving iron, rubber, plastics, logistics, electronics and electrical, as well as automotive-based activities; seven entities in utility operations and 21 research and development entities, training institutions and schools.
“The above with an investment value of RM1.42 billion generated a total of 1,516 jobs. The commercial sector, with an investment value of RM48 million, generated jobs for 523 people,” said Gunsalam, who is also Sabah’s Minister of Industrial Development.
He was replying to questions from Peto Galim (PKR-Inanam) who asked for a list of companies or factories, their investment value and their ability to generate job opportunities, as well as the state’s industrial development plans to help tackle poverty.
Joachim said his ministry was not directly involved in poverty eradication programmes, but it has always been working on attracting more outside investors to invest in Sabah to help resolve the issue.
“My ministry has always been committed, and continues to work hand-in-hand with industry players to ensure that the manufacturing sector remains a mainstay for investments to raise local employment opportunities,” he said.
Sabah received foreign and domestic investments worth RM4.47 billion last year, which generated 7,400 jobs, and he is optimistic these investments would benefit Sabah’s economy by way of foreign exchange and tax collection.
His ministry will receive a Chinese high-tech investment to open a solar glass panel manufacturing plant in KKIP this year. The memorandum of agreement to lease the land was signed on March 17, he said.
Construction of the plant would begin in the middle of this year on 130 acres, with an investment value of RM2 billion with 1,700 jobs set to be generated.
“Local contractors will have the opportunity to supply raw materials and labour to foreign investors.
“This will help address Sabah’s poverty issue,” he said.
Source: Bernama
