Two kilometre long canal will be built at an estimated cost of MYR 20 million by the Terengganu state government to facilitate the movement of barges from Kampung Kemunting to Sungai Bukit Kuang in the Teluk Kalong industrial area here.
Construction of the canal that follows the alignment of the Sungai Bukit Kuang will involve widening and deepening the river, for the benefit of particularly, the steel industry operating in the area.
Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Ahmad Said said that the canal project is expected to begin in the first quarter of 2014 and set for completion within a year. He added that “It will be 150 metres wide and eight metres in depth. It is part of the facilities being made available by the state government for investors in the steel industry to enable savings in transport costs.”
He told reporters this after a visit to Sungai Bukit Kuang on Thursday.
Mr Ahmad said investors planning to open up steel plants in Teluk Kalong in future had expressed relief over the government’s initiative to build the canal.
Meanwhile, in his speech at an event to distribute funds to residents in the Kijal state constituency, he said the state government expects to receive a RM16 billion investment in the steel sector in Teluk Kalong, from an American company next year.
He added that the opening of the plant will provide about 5,000 skilled and non-skilled job opportunities for the locals.
He said that “A Korean company has also agreed to open a steel plant in Teluk Kalong with an investment of MYR 6.6 billion and via a joint venture with a local establishment. The plant will be the third to start operations in Teluk Kalong, offering 2,000 job opportunities.” Source—BERNAMA
