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Bridge boost for Batu Kawan PDF Print E-mail

The Star, July 9, 2010

msc press

Lee witnessing the presentation of memento from investPenang general manager Loo Lee Lian (right) to Wee after the opening of the MSC Malaysia industry briefing and dialogue.

THE development of Batu Kawan into a cyber city will be faster than Bertam, which is also designated for development into a cyber city.

investPenang executive committee chairman Datuk Lee Kah Choon said the completion of the second Penang Bridge in 2013 would spur the transformation of Batu Kawan into a cyber city.

“There will be a lot of work to be done for Batu Kawan after that,” he told reporters after launching the MSC Malaysia industry briefing and dialogue organised by investPenang and Multi Media Development Corporation (MDeC) yesterday.

Also present was MDeC general manager (states rollout and cybercities) general manager Wee Huay Neo.
Lee said Bertam has been designated as Penang Cyber City (PCC 2) and Batu Kawan as PCC 3, after Bayan Baru, which is PCC 1.

“Bertam’s development into a cyber city will be slower because most of the land in the town is privately owned.

“Thus, unless the private developers initiate development to create the necessary basic telecommunication and power infrastructure to attract investors to move in, Bertam’s development as a cyber city will be slower,” he said.

To qualify for cyber city status, a town must meet certain criteria such as having an available talent pool, proximity to universities and research centres, a competitive environment to attract investments and knowledge workers, and an information, communication, and technology blueprint to provide value propositions for the local eco-nomy.

There are 10 cyber centres in the Klang Valley now. They include the Kuala Lumpur City Centre, Cyberjaya, KL Sentral and Mid Valley City.

There are six cyber cities in the states of Kedah, Penang, Malacca, Perak, Johor and Pahang.

On investments into Penang, Lee said that enquiries to invest in Penang in the first half, had increased 100-fold compared to the same period last year.

“We have spoken to electronics, solar power and medical devices investors.

“We are working towards getting them to invest in Penang,” he said, adding that the state government’s target for foreign investments was RM4.2bil this year.