ALOR SETAR: The Malaysian Investment Development Authority (MIDA), together with the Kedah state government, will be promoting the state as an investment-friendly location through the MIDA Invest Series: Unfolding States Business Potential initiative.

Invest Kedah Bhd chief executive officer Muhamad Mahazi Ibrahim said he would present the facilities provided by the state government, including strategic areas for investors to invest in, at the programme scheduled to take place tomorrow in Kuala Lumpur.

"We have industry, tourism, agriculture... we have more than 20 industrial sites. For example, in Kulim, Sungai Petani, Bukit Selambau, Gurun, Bukit Kayu Hitam and KRC (Kedah Rubber City). Those are all our industrial sites.

"I will inform tomorrow's audience, consisting of embassy representatives, business chambers, and industry players, among others, and they will know what Kedah has to offer and what we have prepared," he told Bernama today.

Regarding investments in the tourism sector, Muhamad Mahazi said Kedah is more focused on health tourism whereby investors have the opportunity to invest in the state to develop a private hospital in Langkawi in addition to Kulim where there is an industrial area which is the Kulim Hi-Tech Park (KHTP).

He said Kedah is trying to become an investor-friendly state by simplifying administrative matters such as land matters and also at the local authority level where there is an Express Construction Permit or E10 initiative that speeds up the process of allowing investors to operate within a 10-month period from the average of 24 months.

"Come to Kedah, we have everything to give to investors. A friendly, conducive state, the cost of living is cheap, Kedah itself is a green area, we want them (investors) to come and see our vast paddy fields," he said.

Meanwhile, Kedah Industry and Investment Committee chairman Datuk Ku Abd Rahman Ku Ismail said Kedah recorded a total manufacturing investment of RM9.7 billion for the first six months of this year.

"We will offer our best to investors. For the first six months of this year, we are number one in manufacturing industry investment.

"The manufacturing sector creates many job opportunities and we are confident that we are on the right track," he said.

-- BERNAMA