MELAKA – The state government hopes that the Melaka Waterfront Economic Zone (M-Wez) will be part of a national project, said State Investment, Industry, Cooperative Development and Cooperatives Committee chairman Datuk Seri Ab Rauf Yusoh.
He said as Melaka is currently not included in any of the country’s economic corridors, the state government needs to come up with its own corridor project to drive the state’s economic growth.
“This recognition (as a national project) will give investors the opportunity to receive incentives, especially special incentives related to tax exemptions from the federal government,” he said at the Melaka assembly sitting here today.
He said this in reply to a supplementary question from Datuk Lim Ban Hong (Kelebang-BN) who wanted to know what are the incentives that the state government could expect from the federal government through the project status.
Rauf said the results of studies by various parties found that the 33-km M-Wez development along the Melaka Straits has the potential to become a deep sea port.
“Every year, some 90,000 ships sail through the Straits. If there is a deep sea port, Melaka will surely surpass other states that have port areas because we are at the most strategic location,” he said.
In reply to an original question posed by Kerk Chee Yee (Ayer Keroh-PH) who wanted to know the impact on the environment of sea reclamation activities to create M-Wez, Rauf said the Environmental Impact Assessment report needs to be prepared and evaluated by the Environment Department before planning approval could be considered by the local authority.
He said this would include studies on the impact on mangrove swamps, islands, coastal erosion, coral reefs, marine biological areas, fisheries, human activities and so forth depending on the different locations. – Bernama, March 16, 2023
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