KOTA BARU, July 11 — The Kelantan state government has agreed to develop the Pasir Puteh Inland Port which offers support services, creating a conducive ecosystem for the industries in Tok Bali.
The East Coast Economic Region Development Council (ECERDC) said the decision was made during the Tok Bali Development Committee’s second meeting held virtually today, jointly chaired by the Kelantan Menteri Besar Datuk Ahmad Yakob and Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Economic Affairs) Datuk Seri Mustapa Mohamed.
The committee was set up in March 2021, with a focus on ensuring comprehensive development coordination in Tok Bali, facilitating project implementations, attracting investments to accelerate the developments in the area as well as driving its economic growth.
ECERDC said during the meeting, the committee also decided that ongoing and future projects in Tok Bali should be given priority as the projects have the potential to become game-changers in the state’s economic transformation.
“To ensure that these projects will be able to boost economic growth as well as cross-border trade activities, the committee agreed that a strategy can be prepared to identify measures to develop the Pasir Puteh Inland Port area, together with the Tok Bali Commercial Port.
“This involves agencies such as the Prime Minister’s Department, Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Transport, Economic Planning Unit, Kelantan State Economic Planning Unit, Customs Department, Marine Department, Irrigation and Drainage Department, PLANMalaysia, Petronas, the private sector, as well as ECERDC,” it said in a statement today.
Due to its strategic location as well as the infrastructure that would be provided to ensure sustainable development in Tok Bali, the committee decided that PLANMalaysia should accelerate the Malaysia-Thailand International Border Study, taking into account the impact of the Tok Bali development in the development of the border areas in Kelantan.
“Additionally, ECERDC is implementing the Tok Bali Integrated Fisheries Park Transformation Plan which will strengthen the fisheries value chain, with infrastructure facilities that support both downstream activities and the development of local micro, small and medium enterprises to produce high-value fish-based products.
“The committee has decided that the transformation plan needs to be finalised to ensure all issues related to investments and fish supplies are addressed immediately,” said ECERDC.
It said as of June 2021, the government had allocated a total of RM297.7 million for the developments in Tok Bali, including projects such as the Tok Bali Industrial Park (RM200 million), Tok Bali Integrated Fisheries Park (RM67.7 million) and the upgrading of the Tok Bali-Pasir Puteh road (RM30 million).
“Meanwhile, the private sector’s committed investments in Tok Bali amounted to RM1.75 billion as of June 2021, of which RM329 million has been realised,” said ECERDC.
