KUANTAN, Dec 4 — A total of 14 high-impact projects costing RM4 billion have been implemented in Pahang since the establishment of the East Coast Economic Region Development Council (ECERDC), the Pahang State Assembly was told today.

The projects, according to Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Wan Rosdy Wan Ismail, cover various clusters such as tourism, manufacturing, infrastructure development, agribusiness and socioeconomics in the Kuantan, Pekan and Rompin districts.

He said the projects included the Malaysia-China Kuantan Industrial Park (MCKIP), the Pekan Automotive Park, the Gambang Halal Industrial Park and the Pahang Technology Park, in addition to the expansion of the Kuantan Port and the urban development of the Kuantan Port.

"For agribusiness, projects that have been completed are the Muadzam Shah Cattle Research and Innovation Centre (MSCRIC) and the Integrated Pineapple Farm Development, both in Rompin.

"For tourism, it involves Tasik Chini State Park and Pekan Heritage Tourism Development (both in Pekan) and Kuantan Waterfront which also involves the Kuantan 188 tower, Serambi Teruntum and Laman Teruntum,” he said.

Wan Rosdy was responding to a question from Datuk Mustapa Long (BN-Padang Tengku) who requested the list of high-impact projects implemented under ECERDC.

He said other projects being implemented included the Cherating Turtle Conservation and Information Centre in Kuantan and the upgrading of old buildings in Pekan Lama, Pekan, for the tourism cluster.

Also being implemented is the MCKIP three project for the manufacturing cluster and the infrastructure development project involving the distribution pipeline from Kemaman, Terengganu, to Gebeng, which is an important industrial location in Pahang.

In response to an oral question from Mustapa, the Menteri Besar did not deny that much of the development projects were carried out in East Pahang and Central Pahang, but said that actions had been taken to ensure a more balanced development in East Pahang.

"The state government is not depending solely on ECERDC. In fact, since 2018, which is (my) first year as Menteri Besar, we have established Pahang Barat Plus and as a result, many projects have been and will continue to be implemented in West Pahang,” he said.

West Pahang includes the districts of Bentong, Raub and Lipis, while Jerantut and Bera are in Pahang Barat Plus. — Bernama