Senai Hi-tech park to focus on three areas

01 September 2010 , By The Star

Hi-tech manufacturing, R&D and services deemed key drivers for Senai project

Senai High Tech Park Sdn Bhd (SHTP), the operator of Senai Hi-Tech Park project, is focusing on three key areas as the driving factors to spearhead the development of the park.

They are the high-tech manufacturing activities, the research and development (R&D) activities and the professional services and human capital development.

Chief executive officer Datuk Ahmad Shukri Tajuddin said the three would be the core industrial activities at the Senai Park comparable to semiconductor in Penang and wafer clusters in Kedah’s Kulim Hi-Tech Park.

“We want to develop and establish clusters of industries in the southern region with the park as a catalyst focusing on capital intensive investments,’’ he said in an interview with StarBiz.

Ahmad Shukri said SHTP would target companies in hi-tech manufacturing activities – hi-end electrical and electronics, semiconductor, photonics, optoelectronics, nanotechnology, alternative energy sources and green technology.

To date, it has received RM60mil investment from an industrial gas provider from MOX-Linde Gases Sdn Bhd, RM1.5bil from South Korea solar cell modules producer STX Corp and RM1.7bil from China’s solar modules company EQ International.

He said infrastructure work at the hi-tech park was progressing well and the hi-tech park would be partially operational in March next year.

Ahmad Shukri said that as part of the Senai Airport Terminal Services Sdn Bhd (SATS) integrated development project, the company would also target these activities – operational headquarters, international procurement centres, regional distribution centres, aircraft related activities, logistics and packaging.

The SATS’s multi-billion ringgit Senai Airport City project to be developed over 10 years next to Senai Airport spanning over 1,099ha comprises three main components. They are residential, commercial and hospitality amenities located on 264ha, free zone industrial and logistics park on 375ha and the hi-tech park on 460ha.

The entire development is undertaken by SATS’s wholly-owned subsidiary, Enigma Harmoni Sdn Bhd, a company closely linked to billionaire Tan Sri Syed Mokhtar Al-Bukhary. Syed Mokhtar controls MMC Corp Bhd which has interests in the Senai Airport, Johor Port and PTP.

Ahmad Shukri, the former CEO of Kulim Hi-Tech Park (KHTP), can bank on his experience managing the country’s first hi-tech park to contribute to the development of SHTP.

He said the federal government made the right decision to establish Malaysia’s second hi-tech park in Senai after KHTP, as it would help to accelerate the country’s growth. The Government, he said, agreed to allocate RM300mil to part finance the infrastructure work while the balance of RM215mil would be borne by SHTP.

The park would be one of the core elements in developing the Iskandar Malaysia’s Senai-Kulai Zone into a regional logistic hub by interlinking the connectivity at Senai Airport, Johor Port and PTP.

Ahmad Shukri said the company would learn from KHTP’s experience on how to market the park.

It would also bank on Johor’s close proximity to Singapore with good international air and sea connectivity as the selling point to attract investors.

“It will be a fully-integrated technology park aimed at propelling economic growth through the international community of knowledge-based organisations,’’ added Ahmad Shukri.

He said the 15% income tax cut for knowledge workers in Iskandar Malaysia announced in Budget 2010 would help companies operating at the park to attract professionals.

Malaysians and foreign workers residing and working in qualifying activities in Iskandar between Oct 24, 2009 and Dec 31, 2015, would enjoy the tax cut.

The qualifying activities are the green technology, biotechnology, educational services, healthcare, creative industry, financial advisory, consultancy services, logistic services and tourism.

Ahmad Shukri said that apart from offering the 15% tax cut regime, the Government should look at offering more incentives to attract high-skilled workers to the park.

“For most capital-intensive investments, 70% of the budget goes to equipment while between 10% and 20% for high skilled personnel such as engineers, researchers and scientists,’’ he said.

He said the company also worked closely with several public universities to ensure adequate skilled personnel such as engineers, researchers and scientists for the park.

In its role to encourage entrepreneurship and creativeness, SHTP will liaise with universities and manufacturers able to produce new technologies and products, with the park playing the role of “hatching nest’’.

Ahmad Shukri said the company would be going to China, Europe, India, Japan, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan and the United States next year to attract investors.