LANGKAWI, June 1 — Developer Tan Sri Ting Pek Khiing, who was previously declared bankrupt, is welcome to "do business” in Langkawi, Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad said today.

The Langkawi MP, who was on a brief visit to the island today, said the government welcomes all forms of business investment.

"He was made bankrupt during Najib’s time, now he wants to revive his own business, we welcome it,” he said when asked about Ting’s proposed RM30 billion Langkawi New City Project.

He added, however, that if Ting wanted to bring China citizens to live in Langkawi, that would be a "no-no”.

"If he wants to do business, he is welcome,” he said, pointing out that the project was not approved yet.

"It is his dream to build this project, but whether he gets approval for it or not is another matter.”

Dr Mahathir was invited to a briefing on the project with Ting today but according to the prime minister’s aides, the former cancelled the meeting a couple days ago.

The development plan for Langkawi New City is on display at Century Langkasuka Hotel, Padang Matsirat, June 1, 2018. — Picture by Sayuti Zainudin

Over at Century Langkasuka Hotel, a model of the extensive development project was displayed in the lobby.

Ting called an impromptu press conference at about 5pm today to explain that he had applied for approval for the project "several times” previously even when Kedah was under Pakatan Rakyat between 2008 and 2013.

"I also applied for it again when Datuk Seri Mukhriz Mahathir was Kedah mentri besar under Barisan Nasional,but I wasn’t aware that we had to make a deposit payment for the project,” he said, saying a new proposal will be submitted soon.

Earlier today, Mukhriz said Ting had not submitted a new proposal to the Pakatan Harapan state government.

He admitted that Ting had proposed the project to him previously when he was the BN mentri besar but the proposal stalled as it was not accompanied by the deposit needed for a project of that size.

According to Ting, the development project covers 810ha on reclaimed land on the west side of the island.

The mega project includes four blocks of 12-storey hotels with 5,000 rooms, 1,200 blocks of residential apartments with 30,000 units, a golf course, a seafood restaurant and 2,000 berthing facilities at a marina.

It has, however, been criticised for its possible environmental impact, and because of Ting’s history with the controversial Bakun dam project.