TANJUNG MALIM: There is a potential to increase the export of vehicle spare parts once the industrial park near Proton City here is set up.
Second International Trade and Industry Minister Datuk Seri Ong Ka Chuan said last year the figure for the export of spare parts stood at RM6bil.
He said for Thailand, however, it recorded RM24bil in exports for spare parts in the same period.
“I am sure we cannot be so far off in the field and there is potential to develop this area.
“Therefore once the park is up, the supportive industries not only will supply to the anchor tenant which is Proton, but the surplus of the products can be exported,” Ong said after presenting hampers to senior citizens and the needy in conjunction with Chinese New Year at SMJK Katholik near here yesterday.
Some 100 deserving people received the hampers provided by the Malaysian Industrial Development Finance (MIDF) as part of their corporate social responsibility.
Ong said he was in talks with the Perak Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Dr Zambry Abd Kadir for the approval of a 406ha land to be converted into the park.
Ong said he was confident when Tanjung Malim becomes the hub of the automotive industry, the export of spare parts could reach RM24bil or even more.
He said there was a need to create more jobs here, as currently people are willing to commute daily as far as from Ipoh to Kuala Lumpur.
Ong said KTMB had told him that in one year, about 1.4 million people use the train services.
“Although they don’t have the figures of how many were commuting daily to work, I was told many use the train services for such purposes.
“This is excluding people who drive to work from several parts of Perak to Kuala Lumpur on a daily basis.
“Therefore, if more job opportunities are created here, then they can stay put here,” he added.
