Citing the Kerian Integrated Green Industrial Park (KIGIP) as an example, he said the investment, trade and industry ministry and Permodalan Nasional Berhad have been directed to ensure these considerations are properly coordinated.
Anwar said once these considerations are aligned, the process of approving public facilities will be streamlined, resulting in more reasonable costs.
“I have asked for this to be expedited. We are asking for a new highway network to provide access to this area, which has been approved with additional provisions for KIGIP project requirements.
“The federal government will take responsibility for this, while the state government and, of course, the company will handle the rest.
“This project is different from others because the funds are largely managed by the private sector,” he said when officiating at the KIGIP groundbreaking ceremony near here today.
Anwar said a comprehensive community ecosystem must include educational development, specifically, highlighting the need to prioritise youths from Kerian and its surrounding areas for employment opportunities at KIGIP.
“From today, SD Guthrie Bhd (which prepared the KIGIP master plan) should focus on attracting investors, choosing the right types of investments and creating jobs.
“It should also prioritise youths from northern Perak and neighbouring areas like Bagan Serai and Nibong Tebal for training opportunities.
“If there are TVET programmes or technology institutes nearby, I urge SD Guthrie to collaborate with these institutions to provide the necessary training,” he said.
Anwar also said Kerian is set to become a key district for industry and green technology in southeast Asia.
“I am confident that Kerian will bring substantial benefits to its people. Therefore, I urge the immediate preparation of the ecosystem and supply chain to ensure that Kerian’s residents are not left behind,” he said.
“There is no point in developing KIGIP if the local population is marginalised or excluded. Young people in schools and training centres in Kerian should be given priority for training opportunities that will enable them to work at KIGIP,” he said.