Uncategorized
Malaysia-China Kuantan Industrial Park bears rich fruits
By Zhang Niansheng, Liu Hui, People’s Daily
Malaysia-China Kuantan Industrial Park (MCKIP) located in Malaysia, as a model of China-Malaysia cooperation under the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), has promoted pragmatic cooperation between China and Malaysia and deepened the friendship between the two countries.
Over the past 10 years, the industrial park has borne rich fruits. It has attracted 12 projects with a combined investment value of more than 40 billion yuan ($5.81 billion). These projects have generated industrial output value totaling over 35 billion yuan, created about 5,000 long-term jobs, and contributed an estimated 10 million tons to the increase in the annual throughput of the Kuantan Port, a multipurpose port in Malaysia.
In February 2013, the MCKIP was officially launched in the capital city Kuantan of Pahang state, Malaysia. Located in the East Coast Economic Region (ECER) of Malaysia, the tranquil city of Kuantan is an over three-hour drive away from Malaysia’s capital Kuala Lumpur and adjacent to the Kuantan Port.
The MCKIP, together with the China-Malaysia Qinzhou Industrial Park (CMQIP) situated in China, represents a groundbreaking innovation: the model of “Two Countries, Twin Parks.”
“During the past 10 years, the MCKIP has become one of the most successful industrial parks in the ECER,” said Baidzawi Che Mat, chief executive officer (CEO) of the East Coast Economic Region Development Council (ECERDC).
“The ‘Two Countries, Twin Parks’ model built by Malaysia and China is successful,” he noted.
Alliance Steel (M) Sdn. Bhd. was the first entrant in the MCKIP. It only took 18 months for the project to set up its full-process production line in the industrial park.
With its annual output surpassing the designed annual production capacity of 3.5 million tons, Alliance Steel (M) Sdn. Bhd. has emerged as one of the largest and most advanced steel businesses with full-process technologies for steel products in Malaysia, and its products are sold to global markets.
Steve Hu Jiulin, chief technology officer of Alliance Steel (M) Sdn. Bhd., can still remember vividly the local situation he saw when he first arrived in Kuantan city.
“When I came here in 2014, this place was mountainous and swampy. And the ground works alone took us more than a year,” Hu said.
“Who would think that there used to be a mountain right at the site of the office building,” he said, pointing at the office building where he works.
The premises of Alliance Steel (M) Sdn. Bhd. now boast wide and clean roads and neatly arranged buildings, including office building, factory building, and dormitory.
“The technological design and equipment of the project of Alliance Steel (M) Sdn. Bhd. are all from China. They are the most advanced ones of the industry,” Hu said.
Hu recalled that during a local official’s inspection tour in Alliance Steel (M) Sdn. Bhd., the official asked as soon as he entered the premises of the company, “Why is this project so clean that it doesn’t seem like a steel mill?”
After learning that the project has followed standards for environmental protection higher than the local standards, and that all the waste heat and gases produced during the production processes are recycled for power generation in a bid to promote circular economy and energy conservation and carbon emission reduction, the official’s eyes widened in surprise.
Alliance Steel (M) Sdn. Bhd. has more than 4,000 employees, among whom most are local people who enjoy much higher salaries than the average local salary.
The east coast where Kuantan city is located is relatively backward in terms of economic development, a local employee told People’s Daily, adding that local people, especially young people, used to go to the relatively developed west coast states of the country for employment.
Now that Alliance Steel (M) Sdn. Bhd. has been settled in the locality, he can work near his home and has significantly improved his quality of life, the young man said.
The development of the MCKIP has boosted investment in Malaysia and China while creating jobs in various fields from production to management, said Baidzawi.
Local contractors and suppliers have also participated in the development of the industrial park, which has benefited a good number of local small and medium-sized enterprises, according to him.
The Kuantan Port is the largest port on the east coast of Malaysia, as well as a pillar for the development of the MCKIP. The Malaysian government has listed it as one of the key ports of the country.
In 2013, the Beibu Gulf Port Group in south China’s Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region became a shareholder of the Kuantan Port, and this China-Malaysia cooperation has brought new vitality to the Malaysian port that enjoys a history of more than 40 years.
The Chinese company, together with the Malaysian operators, jointly upgraded the Kuantan Port and are working to expand the port.
According to Ye Jingtao, general manager of operations of Kuantan Port Consortium Sdn. Bhd. which manages the Kuantan Port, equipment at the new port are all imported from China due to limited local supply. To ensure that the employees can well operate the equipment, the Beibu Gulf Port Group has launched training programs and sent employees to Chinese ports for learning.
Under the joint efforts from both the Chinese and Malaysian sides, the handling capacity of the Kuantan Port has been constantly improved. Its throughput and revenue doubled year on year in 2015. And three years later, it became the largest public port for bulk cargoes of Malaysia and two new 150,000-ton deep water ports were built.
Baidzawi said that the MCKIP and the CMQIP are expected to build more complete industrial and supply chains between Malaysia and China, and deepen their pragmatic cooperation in trade, investment, technological cooperation, tourism, culture and other sectors, as the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership has taken effect.
By Fabian Apechihin
The 2026 Constitution Amendment Bill has moved to the state level following its consideration by the National Assembly, paving the way for state legislatures to consider the proposed amendments.
The development comes amid renewed attention on constitutional reform and ongoing discussions over proposed changes to Nigeria’s governing framework.
Meanwhile, the House of Representatives has defended FCT Minister Nyesom Wike over allegations surrounding borrowing by the Federal Capital Territory Administration.
House spokesperson Akin Rotimi Agbese, speaking in an interview with Channels Television, rejected claims that Wike had undertaken borrowing without the knowledge or approval of the National Assembly.
Agbese said the FCT minister could not independently create a sovereign borrowing obligation, stressing that public borrowing is subject to constitutional, statutory and administrative procedures.
“Wike has committed no infraction in borrowings. There is no basis for the allegation that he has been borrowing money behind the back of the National Assembly,” Agbese said.
He explained that borrowing to finance infrastructure was not unlawful where the required approvals and procedures had been followed.
“Borrowing for infrastructure development is not unlawful in itself, provided the prescribed approvals and procedures are followed,” he added.
The House spokesperson further argued that an increase in the FCT’s debt profile should not automatically be interpreted as evidence of illegal borrowing, citing the scale of infrastructure projects being undertaken in Abuja under Wike.
According to Agbese, the key issue is whether the appropriate approvals were obtained for specific borrowing transactions, rather than simply whether the FCT’s overall debt profile has increased.
The comments come as scrutiny continues over public borrowing, infrastructure financing and the legal procedures governing government debt at both the federal and sub-national levels.
By Fabian Apechihin
The 2026 Constitution Amendment Bill has moved to the state level following its consideration by the National Assembly, paving the way for state legislatures to consider the proposed amendments.
The development comes amid renewed attention on constitutional reform and ongoing discussions over proposed changes to Nigeria’s governing framework.
Meanwhile, the House of Representatives has defended FCT Minister Nyesom Wike over allegations surrounding borrowing by the Federal Capital Territory Administration.
House spokesperson Akin Rotimi Agbese, speaking in an interview with Channels Television, rejected claims that Wike had undertaken borrowing without the knowledge or approval of the National Assembly.
Agbese said the FCT minister could not independently create a sovereign borrowing obligation, stressing that public borrowing is subject to constitutional, statutory and administrative procedures.
“Wike has committed no infraction in borrowings. There is no basis for the allegation that he has been borrowing money behind the back of the National Assembly,” Agbese said.
He explained that borrowing to finance infrastructure was not unlawful where the required approvals and procedures had been followed.
“Borrowing for infrastructure development is not unlawful in itself, provided the prescribed approvals and procedures are followed,” he added.
The House spokesperson further argued that an increase in the FCT’s debt profile should not automatically be interpreted as evidence of illegal borrowing, citing the scale of infrastructure projects being undertaken in Abuja under Wike.
According to Agbese, the key issue is whether the appropriate approvals were obtained for specific borrowing transactions, rather than simply whether the FCT’s overall debt profile has increased.
The comments come as scrutiny continues over public borrowing, infrastructure financing and the legal procedures governing government debt at both the federal and sub-national levels.
By Fabian Apechihin
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has reaffirmed its intention to contest the 2027 presidential election despite the decision of Federal Capital Territory Minister, Nyesom Wike, to support President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s re-election bid.
The party said Wike’s decision was personal and did not alter its position to participate in the presidential election with its candidate, Senator Sandy Onor. PDP National Publicity Secretary, Jungudo Haruna Mohammed, made the clarification on Wednesday.
According to the party, a recent conversation between Wike and Onor should not be interpreted as a political negotiation between the minister and the PDP.
“He told Nigerians that Sandy is his friend. And they only had a friendly discussion within the umbrella of friendship. So, that is just a personal discussion between him and his friend,” Mohammed said.
He added that Wike’s support for Tinubu did not prevent the PDP from fielding candidates for the presidential, governorship and legislative elections.
Wike had earlier clarified that his support in 2027 was specifically for Tinubu’s presidential re-election and did not amount to an agreement that the PDP would withdraw from other electoral contests. He also said he never promised that the PDP would abandon its candidates for governorship, National Assembly and State House of Assembly elections.
“I said I will support the President from day one. I never told Mr President I will join APC,” Wike said.
The minister also maintained that his proposed Rainbow Coalition was not an arrangement with the All Progressives Congress (APC), but rather a platform through which politicians from different parties could mobilise support for Tinubu’s re-election.
The issue has generated disagreement with some APC governors, who have expressed concern about a political arrangement that could affect the party’s candidates at other levels.
APC Progressive Governors’ Forum Chairman, Hope Uzodinma, said the governors would not support any alliance or arrangement that could weaken the APC or adversely affect its candidates.
Meanwhile, APC presidential campaign council spokesperson Ima Niboro has urged Wike and APC governors to end their public exchanges and concentrate on political mobilisation.
“When I said tone down the rhetoric, I do not mean stop working. Stop talking, go and work,” Niboro said.
He urged political leaders to strengthen their grassroots structures and engage directly with voters rather than continue exchanging statements in the media.
“All this shouting is not taking anybody anywhere. Go and work. Go and establish your authority on your political base,” he said.
2026 Constitution Amendment Bill Moves to States
2026 Constitution Amendment Bill Moves to States
2027: PDP Insists on Presidential Contest Despite Wike’s Support for Tinubu
-
Uncategorized6 years agoFG, states urged to harness flooding for ranching, others with technology – Agbaje
-
Headlines11 years agoBreaking: EFCC seals Borno House of Assembly, as Hon members take to their heels
-
News12 years agoNigeria Security Operatives Stage Manhunt For Homosexual Perpetrator
-
News10 years agoHow 21-year-old Girl fled community over accusation of lesbianism
-
News11 years agoYobe Gov Moves Against Deputy
-
Opinion7 years ago7 signs she has friend zoned you
-
Technology5 years ago
Online job placement company headhunts women
-
Headlines10 years agoBorno Dep Gov Abducts Another Church Leader