The Star, 26 January, 2007

Biotech park plan for Penanti being finalised

BUTTERWORTH: A biotechnology park project is being finalised for the Penanti constituency in Penang. 

Penanti assemblyman Datuk Abdul Jalil Abdul Majid said the biotechnology park would be located on a 400-ha site. 

“The plan for the park is being drawn by graduate students of Universiti Teknologi Mara’s town planning faculty.  

“The plan is now being revised. It should be available for public viewing in March or April,” he said after presenting medals to winners in a cross-country run organised by the Penang School Sports Council (MSSPP) and held in the Mengkuang Dam area yesterday. 

“The biotechnology park, to be funded by private financial initiatives, will focus on drawing investments for the develop- ment of agriculture-based biotechnology pro-ducts. 

“We are trying to get local and foreign in-vestors to invest in the park which will take five to seven years to complete. For the park to take off, it will require the investment of several billion ringgit.  

“The state government will provide consultation for the project,” he said. 

On a separate matter, Jalil said the state had earmarked a 16ha site in Penanti for a 600-unit housing project.”There are about 80,000 people in Penanti and 3,000 of them are in need of affordable housing,” he said. 

Jalil said the expansion of the Mengkuang Dam would take four years to complete. 

“About 80ha will be acquired at a cost of about RM500mil for the project planned,” he said.