IPOH, April 18 — Development of the Perak Hi-Tech Industrial Park (PHTIP) in Chemor will start this year and is expected to take five years, the state legislative assembly was told today.

Perak Investment and Corridor Development Committee chairman Datuk Seri Mohammad Nizar Jamaluddin said the cost to develop PHTIP, which is in the expanse of 1383.62 hectares land, is estimated to be about RM141.67 million.

"PHTIP was initially planned to be developed in 2004 by the Perak State Development Corporation (PKNP), but has experienced various problems in the implementation process.

"However, the current administration is committed to revive the project as we believe it could produce income and benefit for the state,” he said.

The Sungai Rapat assemblyman said PHTIP will be developed as a high technology industry area and also as an innovative area for new industries.

Nizar said PKNP via the Northern Corridor Implementation Authority has requested funds from the Ministry of Finance to plan and start the early work of the project.

Nizar also noted that there are illegal encroachments of fish breeding and farming in the area.

"The illegal encroaches are operating in the area for the past 40 years. We are finding ways to relocate them to a different place and it’s a challenging task,” he said.

However, Nizar said that the current government has no plan to relocate the project to a different place as it is difficult to find available vast land near the Kinta district.

"Furthermore, studies have been conducted by PKNP together with the Ministry of International Trade and Industry and other agencies in the area.

"Following the study, the federal government has also approved RM50 million to install gas pipelines in the area. So it’s not worth it to find a new place for the project,” he explained.