Iskandar Malaysia investments reached RM95.45bil

Iskandar gets RM10.7bil more investments during the first six month of this year.

JOHOR BARU: Iskandar Malaysia has managed to secure RM10.67bil in new committed investments during the first six month of this year.

Iskandar Regional Development Authority (IRDA) chief executive officer Datuk Ismail Ibrahim said since its inception in 2006 and until end-June this year, the total cumulative committed investments reached RM95.45bil in various sectors.

He said 43% “of the committed investments were already realised.

“Domestic investments constitute 62% (RM58.95bil) of the total investments of RM95.45bil, while the remaining 38% (RM36.50bil) is from overseas. Key investments to date are represented by Asia (42%), Europe (40%) and the Middle East (14% ),” he said in a statement yesterday.

IRDA, according to Ismail, was very encouraged by the continued support from local and foreign investors, who had contributed to its growth.

Ismail said since 2006, the manufacturing sector in Iskandar Malaysia had recorded cumulative committed investments of RM32.71bil, while the property sector strongly recorded RM29.80bil.

Investments in other sectors were utilities (RM9.52bil), government (RM7.31bil), petrochemicals (RM5.10bil), ports and logistics (RM3.74bil), tourism (RM2.03bil), education (RM1.55bil) and healthcare (RM1.60bil).

He said IRDA was emphasising six service sectors financial, logistics, healthcare, education, tourism and creative content due to its high economic multiplier effect.

Ismail: ‘We are also exploring green technologies, green economy and low carbon society which are the future trends.

“We are also exploring green technologies, green economy and low carbon society (LCS) which are the future trends.

“IRDA will soon launch its LCS Blueprint which is expected to be the trendsetter among Asean countries,” he added.

Iskandar Malaysia, he said, must attract a steady flow of domestic and foreign investments despite the prevailing global economic environment.

Currently, he said, Iskandar Malaysia was in the final preparations for the opening of Marlborough College Malaysia and the University of Southampton Malaysia campus in August and October respectively.

Meanwhile, Asia's first Legoland theme park in Iskandar Malaysia, is due to open this September. Bernama