Najib sets next 5 years as take-off stage for Ecer

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak has set the next five years to be the take-off stage for the East Coast Economic Region (ECER) in its efforts to produce a society of high-income earners in the region.

Najib said for five years, basic development and infrastructure had been undertaken in the region and to date it has attracted investments of over RM50 billion.

"I believe the ECER's target to attract RM110 billion in investments by 2020 can be achieved," he said at a dinner to celebrate ECER's 5th anniversary here tonight.

The prime minister said to ensure that the development in the ECER was carried out as planned, the federal government has allocated about RM6.6 billion to implement 111 projects in the region under the 9th and 10th Malaysia Plans.

He said during the five-year period, ECER has managed to create 40,000 jobs and the ensuing economic benefits had helped to transform the different strata of society.

Najib said among the investors at ECER were Kaneka Group, CJ CheilJedang, BASF PETRONAS and Volkswagen.

"The world-class industrial estates in ECER are Biochemical Complex in Gebeng, Pekan Auto City, Gambang Halal Industry Park and Heavy Industry Park in Kemaman," he said.

He said he wanted ECER to bring benefits to the people via Gagasan 1Malaysia and to focus on a small area.

He said the Empower ECER programme, which has benefited about 22,000 people, aimed to ensure that each participant would generate up to RM20,000 in income a month.