JOHOR BAHARU, Jan 5 (Bernama) -- The RM200 million Senai-Wenzhou Trade Centre, to be sited adjacent to the Sultan Ismail International Airport in Senai, about 40km from this bustling city, is expected to transform Iskandar Malaysia into a trade and logistics hub in the Asia-Pacific region.
Menteri Besar Datuk Abdul Ghani Othman said the huge investment in the trade centre mirrored strong foreign investor confidence, particularly from China, to expand their business operations in Malaysia.
"The trade centre will not only open up business prospects among service providers and local entrepreneurs but also serve as a launch pad to expand their businesses to Asean member countries, China and India," he said when speaking at the simultaneous launch of the trade centre's construction work and a book entitled "Echoes Of Life" in Sungai Pulai, near here.
Earlier, Senai-Wenzhou Trade Development Pte Ltd chairman Vincent Tan said construction work would start in April on a eight-hectare site.
The core business of the 80,000 sq metre trade centre, slated for completion in two to three years, would be wholesaling of unique products such as leather shoes and jackets from Wenzhou City, south-east of Zhejiang District in China.
Port of Tanjung Pelepas chairman Datuk Mohd Sidik Shaik Osman said the substantial investment was expected to generate RM10 billion worth of spin-offs in 25 years including providing jobs for locals.
On another matter, Ghani said Malaysia and Singapore would jointly promote the Ramsar wetland site in Johor and Sungai Buloh Wetland Reserves in the republic as new eco-tourism attractions.
The collaborative effort was the first initiative under the Ministerial Level Committee for Iskandar Malaysia, he said, adding that a foreign consultant has been appointed to conduct studies on wetland preservation, product promotion and visitors' target.
On the "Echoes of Life" Sungai Pulai book, Ghani said it contained valuable information towards enlightening the people on the richness of the priceless natural environment.
The book, jointly published by the Port of Tanjung Pelepas and Malaysian Nature Society (MNS) Johor branch, is available at MPH bookstores.
A limited edition of only 1,500 copies are available at RM299 a copy.
Johor MNS president Associate Prof Dr Maketab Mohamed was present at the book launch.
Source: Bernama
