SCORE offers made-to-measure investment solutions for Middle East companies
The Sarawak State Planning Unit is responsible for planning socio-economic development programmes that are of benefit to the state. Its flagship long-term plan, SCORE (Sarawak Corridor of Renewable Energy), is already starting to bear fruit according to SPU.
The investment opportunities offered by the Sarawak Corridor of Renewable Energy (SCORE) project is tailor-made for Middle East investors to synergise the financial capital that these investors have and the abundant natural resources available in SCORE. Datu Haji Ismawi bin Haji Ismuni, Director of the Sarawak State Planning Unit (SPU), said SCORE has paved the way for the state to groom and train a sizeable and skilled workforce who can meet the talent requirements of investors wanting to set up shop in Sarawak.
He said the State Government is undertaking a manpower planning process to ensure local talents are qualified to take up a variety of roles among the thousands of jobs expected to be created from SCORE projects.
“We have completed a manpower study for Score and is also currently engaging consultants to help us prepare the manpower action plan,” said Datu Haji Ismawi. “In so doing, we have been engaging in talks with industries to better understand their needs.
“We now know their requirements are and the kind of people they are looking for. And we have also been talking to universities, technical colleges and polytechnics. This is a continuous programme in order to meet the requirements of the industries here.”
Datu Ismawi explains that the State Government is also liberal in its policy on manpower recruitment whereby companies are also allowed to bring in their own expatriates and foreign workers if they are not able to source the manpower locally especially during the initial stage of their operation. However, Datu Haji Ismawi expects most of SCORE jobs to be ultimately filled by Malaysians.
Long-term goals
As the State Central agency responsible for socio-economic planning, SCORE comes under the SPU’s long-term plan. Launched on the 11th February, 2008, SCORE is Sarawak’s blueprint development plan to transform the state into a high-income economy by 2020.
And in the three years since its launch, Datu Haji Ismawi said the rapid progress made by SCORE and the overwhelming responses from the investors have already marked out the project as a significant achievement for the State.
Thus far, more than RM26 billion worth of investments have been approved for SCORE, the majority in key growth nodes such as the Samalaju Industrial Park for heavy and energy intensive industries and Tanjung Manis Halal Hub, which focuses on halal products. Leading companies and investors from Japan, China, Taiwan, Australia, Hong Kong, India and Middle East have put their faith in SCORE and Sarawak is hoping for more investments from GCC countries.
Datu Haji Ismawi outlined six objectives of SCORE; Create new sources of wealth, to move the State economy up the value chain, achieve higher per capita income, enhance quality of life, and achieve a balanced development between regions in the State and to eradicate poverty.
“That’s the long-term plan,” he said. “We have also formulated our medium-term, five-year development plan from 2011 to 2015. This is important because it sets out the macro-economic direction and growth, so if Malaysia, as a country, wants to achieve six per cent GDP growth per annum, likewise the state needs to growth at the same pace.
“So, the medium-term plan is crucial in supporting the long-term plan, which is SCORE.”
Halal opportunities
Datu Haji Ismawi said SCORE offers a wealth of opportunities for Middle Eastern investors, particularly when it comes to the development of halal industries. The Tanjung Manis Halal Hub, located near the western-most part of the SCORE area, is primed to become one of the biggest halal centres in the world and lead the way in agro and food processing using biotechnological process. “What is unique about the Tanjung Manis Halal Hub is that investors can start moving into the upstream sector first, develop and process the raw materials, set up their lab and eventually integrate these activities with the downstream sector,” he said.
“Tanjung Manis has plenty of advantages. It has a clean environment, plenty of water, a lot of land and with good accessibility. We encourage Middle East investors to come and have a look for themselves.”
Datu Haji Ismawi also urged investors to take into account the fact that Sarawak offers competitive business environment, especially when it comes to SCORE industries.
“In SCORE, we will capitalise on energy-intensive industries,” he said. “So, with the abundance of energy, of course the costs are much lower because they will be able to leverage on the hydros,” he said, referring to the Bakun and Murum Dams and other future hydro-electric stations that will power SCORE.
“Secondly, in terms of manpower, eventually we will be able to develop our own human capital. We have a good quality of life and the cost of living in Sarawak is not that high. Put this all together and you have many plus factors for industries to invest in Sarawak.”
[caption id="attachment_6932" align="alignleft" width="300"] Click to enlarge[/caption] The Sarawak State Planning Unit is responsible for planning socio-economic development programmes that are of benefit to the state. Its flagship long-term plan, SCORE (Sarawak Corridor of Renewable Energy), is already starting to bear fruit according to SPU. The investment opportunities offered by the Sarawak Corridor of Renewable Energy (SCORE) project is tailor-made for Middle East investors to synergise the financial capital that these investors have and the abundant natural resources available in SCORE. Datu Haji Ismawi bin Haji Ismuni, Director of the Sarawak State Planning Unit (SPU), said SCORE has paved the...
The Sarawak State Planning Unit is responsible for planning socio-economic development programmes that are of benefit to the state. Its flagship long-term plan, SCORE (Sarawak Corridor of Renewable Energy), is already starting to bear fruit according to SPU.
The investment opportunities offered by the Sarawak Corridor of Renewable Energy (SCORE) project is tailor-made for Middle East investors to synergise the financial capital that these investors have and the abundant natural resources available in SCORE. Datu Haji Ismawi bin Haji Ismuni, Director of the Sarawak State Planning Unit (SPU), said SCORE has paved the way for the state to groom and train a sizeable and skilled workforce who can meet the talent requirements of investors wanting to set up shop in Sarawak.
He said the State Government is undertaking a manpower planning process to ensure local talents are qualified to take up a variety of roles among the thousands of jobs expected to be created from SCORE projects.
“We have completed a manpower study for Score and is also currently engaging consultants to help us prepare the manpower action plan,” said Datu Haji Ismawi. “In so doing, we have been engaging in talks with industries to better understand their needs.
“We now know their requirements are and the kind of people they are looking for. And we have also been talking to universities, technical colleges and polytechnics. This is a continuous programme in order to meet the requirements of the industries here.”
Datu Ismawi explains that the State Government is also liberal in its policy on manpower recruitment whereby companies are also allowed to bring in their own expatriates and foreign workers if they are not able to source the manpower locally especially during the initial stage of their operation. However, Datu Haji Ismawi expects most of SCORE jobs to be ultimately filled by Malaysians.
Long-term goals
As the State Central agency responsible for socio-economic planning, SCORE comes under the SPU’s long-term plan. Launched on the 11th February, 2008, SCORE is Sarawak’s blueprint development plan to transform the state into a high-income economy by 2020.
And in the three years since its launch, Datu Haji Ismawi said the rapid progress made by SCORE and the overwhelming responses from the investors have already marked out the project as a significant achievement for the State.
Thus far, more than RM26 billion worth of investments have been approved for SCORE, the majority in key growth nodes such as the Samalaju Industrial Park for heavy and energy intensive industries and Tanjung Manis Halal Hub, which focuses on halal products. Leading companies and investors from Japan, China, Taiwan, Australia, Hong Kong, India and Middle East have put their faith in SCORE and Sarawak is hoping for more investments from GCC countries.
Datu Haji Ismawi outlined six objectives of SCORE; Create new sources of wealth, to move the State economy up the value chain, achieve higher per capita income, enhance quality of life, and achieve a balanced development between regions in the State and to eradicate poverty.
“That’s the long-term plan,” he said. “We have also formulated our medium-term, five-year development plan from 2011 to 2015. This is important because it sets out the macro-economic direction and growth, so if Malaysia, as a country, wants to achieve six per cent GDP growth per annum, likewise the state needs to growth at the same pace.
“So, the medium-term plan is crucial in supporting the long-term plan, which is SCORE.”
Halal opportunities
Datu Haji Ismawi said SCORE offers a wealth of opportunities for Middle Eastern investors, particularly when it comes to the development of halal industries. The Tanjung Manis Halal Hub, located near the western-most part of the SCORE area, is primed to become one of the biggest halal centres in the world and lead the way in agro and food processing using biotechnological process. “What is unique about the Tanjung Manis Halal Hub is that investors can start moving into the upstream sector first, develop and process the raw materials, set up their lab and eventually integrate these activities with the downstream sector,” he said.
“Tanjung Manis has plenty of advantages. It has a clean environment, plenty of water, a lot of land and with good accessibility. We encourage Middle East investors to come and have a look for themselves.”
Datu Haji Ismawi also urged investors to take into account the fact that Sarawak offers competitive business environment, especially when it comes to SCORE industries.
“In SCORE, we will capitalise on energy-intensive industries,” he said. “So, with the abundance of energy, of course the costs are much lower because they will be able to leverage on the hydros,” he said, referring to the Bakun and Murum Dams and other future hydro-electric stations that will power SCORE.
“Secondly, in terms of manpower, eventually we will be able to develop our own human capital. We have a good quality of life and the cost of living in Sarawak is not that high. Put this all together and you have many plus factors for industries to invest in Sarawak.”
