GEORGE TOWN, Nov 5 ― Penang is acquiring more lands to be made available for the industries for the sake of the state’s industrial development, said Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow.

He said the state’s investment arm, Penang Development Corporation (PDC), is getting ready to make more lands available for the industries.

"So, to the Opposition, don’t criticise the state for selling lands because this only means that you are criticising the multinational companies (MNC) for investing in Penang, you are also criticising the large local companies (LLC) and small-medium enterprises (SME) for expanding and upscaling to compete in the global market,” he said in a press conference at PDC today.

He said these companies, MNCs, LLCs and SMEs, that invested in lands in Penang went on to set up productions and create jobs, not only for Penangites but for Malaysians in general.

"We should appreciate what PDC has been doing as by acquiring more lands to get it ready to be turned into industrial parks, it has drawn in more investors to spur economic development in the state,” he said.

He said PDC has developed nine industrial parks in the past 50 years and this does not include other privately developed industrial parks.

"Just imagine what Penang what will be if there are no nine industrial parks here,” he said.

There are now plans for PDC to open and develop a few more industrial parks in the state.

"One or two of the parks will proceed with earthworks and infrastructure works soon,” he said.

He said a few more hundred acres of industrial lands will be ready for more industries to set up or expand in Penang in the next two years.

"We have plans to acquire between 2,000 to 3,000 acres of land in Byram, Nibong Tebal for Batu Kawan Industrial Park 2,” he said.

He said the first phase of the project will see 800 acres of land being developed for the industries over the next few years.

"We also have the Batu Kawan Industrial Park 3 which is located on the east of the current Batu Kawan Industrial Park,” he said.

He said another 600 acres will be created under the Batu Kawan Industrial Park 3 soon and it will be completed earlier as most of the basic infrastructure is already in existence due to its close proximity to the existing Batu Kawan Industrial Park.

Chow said the first phase of the Batu Kawan Industrial Park 3 will be mostly for the logistics industry but the remaining phases will be for a mix of different industries.

"PDC and InvestPenang will determine how to carve out the lands for various industries as we need a good mix of industries in the new industrial parks,” he said.

Chow had earlier announced a RM520 million reinvestment by three LLCs through the acquisition of 35 acres of land in the Batu Kawan Industrial Park.

He said this reinvestment by the LLC showed the growth and expansion of local companies that enabled them to compete in the global supply chain market.