The Government’s decision in the late 1980’s to boost its manufacturing sector was carried out by dove-tailing on certain high-technology industries, to promote high value-added industrialisation teamed with research and development. Kulim was selected as the location for a high-technology park and in 1996, the Kulim Hi-Tech Park was officially launched.
Key factors identified for the park included:
* The decision of high-technology companies to invest and locate targeted industries in the park, and
* The park’s ability to attract high caliber human resources, comprising highly-educated and technically-competent professionals.
A self-contained township was envisaged by the park’s planners that would have all the infrastructure and support facilities to cater to the needs of industry, academia, research and residents.
Kulim Technology Park Corporation Berhad (KTPC), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Kedah’s development arm (Perbadanan Kemajuan Negeri Kedah), serves as the developer and manager of KHTP.
“KTPC’s vision,” said its group chief executive officer Datuk Ahmad Shukri Tajuddin, “is to be the leading technology-based corporation in providing infrastructure, facilities and services for high-technology industries.
“This, in turn, creates an environment for high-technology manufacturing and its supporting activities, R&D, knowledge advancements, career-building along with life and leisure,” he added.
KTPC’s mission is based on the following:
* Developing and providing infrastructure, properties, human resource and related services to its tenants.
* Creating a high-quality environments for working, living and leisure,
* Reinforcing the company’s strength in technology park development and its related property development activities with emphasis on providing superior, quality and timely delivery of products and services to its customers,
* Improving efficiency of the company in productivity, operations and financial standing, and
* Expanding businesses and exploring new opportunities to strengthen the company’s earning base.
The park is home to 35 tenants, comprising multinational corporations, local firms and a small-and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).
A total of RM21billion in investments has been ploughed into the park with RM1.5 billion worth of infrastructure investments committed.
In luring more investors to the park, KTPC showcases its ability to support high-technology manufacturing and other activities.
“As a fully integrated high-tech park with six zones, ample land for expansion, along with stable, reliable and quality power supply,” said Ahmad Shukri,” KHTP is poised to be the national centre for advanced technology manufacturing and innovation.”
The park provides employment to about 13,000 people, of which about 35 per cent are professionals.
“We envisage that KHTP will continue to create a pool of professional and knowledge-based workers,” he said, adding that KTPC’s plans were to attract more high-end semiconductor companies and their supporting activities and a cluster of semiconductor activities.
“We are also looking forward to develop an area for new and emerging technologies such as nanotechnology and biotechnology,” he added.
The park offers learning institutions from kindergartens, primary and secondary schools to colleges such as Uni-KL Malaysian Spanish Institute and Politeknik Kulim.
There is also the Kulim Advance Education Centre providing degree courses in electrical and electronic engineering as well as computer engineering studies.
For recreation, besides the jogging tracks, there is the 27-hole golf course of Kulim Golf & Country Resort, which also provides a golf driving range and clubhouse facilities that include a gymnasium, a pro-shop, a golfer’s terrace and a ballroom.
Near the park are the 950m Sungai Sedim Tree-top Walk and a white-water rafting location.
On efforts by KTPC to spawn the growth of small-and medium-sized companies at the park, he said while KTPC would continue to attract foreign direct investment, the park had put in place several components to cater for local SME development, namely, a SMI Park, Vendor Development Programme, along with facilities at its Techno Centre and Information Technology (IT) Centre.
“The development of a SMI Park is in progress,” he said,” and we have demarcated land for this purpose. The first phase of development covers 8 comprising semi-detached factories for sale of lease.”
The other component for SME development is the Vendor Development Programme (VDP).
On efforts by the KTPC to raise its profile as a centre for the Information and Communications Technology (ICT) sector, he said the Multimedia Super Corridor (MSC) cybercity status for KHTP was approved on June 21.
The official launch is in October or November.
“As a MSC cybercity, we expect KHTP to become the cluster for wafer fabrication and related upstream and downstream activities such as integrated circuit design house, photo-masking and to house two more wafer fabrication facilities.”
KHTP is home to three MSC-status companies and KTPC expects seven more companies to be accorded MSC status by the end of 2005.
“The park,” he said, ”will become a model development area for Kedah to implement ICT development such as broadband and wireless application, which can be adapted and replicated in the other districts of Kedah.
“The MSC Cybercity status will promote KHTP globally by having world class infrastructure in KHTP.“This status,” he added, “will spur development in KHTP and we hope that it will help Malaysia attract more FDI.”
Source: New Straits Times, August 24, 2005 http://www.mida.gov.my/beta/view.php?cat=14&scat=717 |
