KOTA KINABALU: The Sabah government will be developing 460 acres of land at the Kota Kinabalu Industrial Park in Sepanggar, near here, as a Halal hub.State Industrial Development Minister Datuk Raymond Tan said among the industries aimed at the hub would be manufacturers of flour and pulses based products, fish and processed seafood products, herbal based products, processed livestock products, processed fruits and vegetables and cocoa based products.
The Halal hub to be developed by the state owned Sabah State Economic Development Corporation (SEDCO), would also facilitate supporting activities like research and development, cold storage, packaging and labelling, Tan said when wrapping up his ministry’s statement at the Sabah State Legislative Council meeting here yesterday.
On suggestions that palm oil companies under the agriculture areas be included in the industrial zone, Tan said all factories using agriculture areas must change their land usage status to industry as required by section 54 of the Sabah State Land Ordinance.
Quoting the Malaysian Palm Oil Board, Tan said todate there were 121 oil palm factories in Sabah and 34 of them have presented their applications to change the status for land usage while the rest will be asked to do so by the Sabah Land and Survey Department.
Tan said that despite the world economic slump last year, Sabah had continued to be a focus for foreign direct investment in the manufacturing sector.
Meanwhile, State Local Government and Housing Minister Datuk Hajiji Noor said the plan for the new township of Sukau, involving a land area of 104 acres in the east coast of Sabah, had been approved. — Bernama