By Manjit Kaur, The Star

August 16, 2010

Project to be modelled after the San Jose facility, says CM.

GEORGE TOWN: The state plans to build a tech centre modelled after the California’s San Jose Tech Centre in the Bayan Lepas Free Industrial Zone, said Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng.

“The centre, known as Innoplex, is excpected to have 100,000 sq ft of space with about 70% allocated for an exhibition area, while the remaining will be used to house a small theatre and host corporate events.

“Datuk Wong Siew Hai, the former managing director of Intel Malaysia, has agreed to head the project under the Penang Science Council (PSC),” he told a press conference at his office in Komtar yesterday.

Lim said plans were still on the drawing board but PSC felt that it would be more appropriate to call for a Request for Concept so that designers and architects could share their vision of what the centre should look like,

“Deputy Chief Minister I Datuk Mansor Othman was recently on a working visit to Taiwan and he visited a similar centre there.

“He was so impressed with the centre that he told me that we too should have such a centre, which will be something new to Malaysia.

“It will be an interactive, experimental, multimedia based and most importantly an educational centre,” he added.

Lim said competent companies were invited to submit their designs and project management plans of the Innoplex.

“Interested parties are required to register and attend a briefing session on Sept 2 at 11am or 2.30pm at the Penang Development Corporation (PDC).”

When asked about the project’s cost, Wong said it was estimated to be RM80mil of more, and they hoped to set up the centre within three years.

“It will be more of a public private partnership, whereby the land will be provided by the state government, and they will also have to look at means to raise funds for the project.

“We will not only showcase technology by multinational companies, but also showcase local achievement and technology,” he said.

For details, call the Penang Development Corporation at 04-6139803.