Synergistic economy in the making
Professor Tan Sri Dato' Dzulkifli Abdul Razak
Learning Curve: Perspective
New Sunday Times - 10-02-2013
THE launch of the Malaysia-China Kuantan Industrial Park (MCKIP) in Gebeng, Pahang recently was a defining moment in Malaysia's journey towards an advanced economy by the year 2020. For Malaysia, it is not only the country's first industrial park to be accorded national status but also the first between two nations in the dimension that it represents.
MCKIP is expected to play a synergistic role in China-Malaysia Qinzhou Industrial Park (CMQIP) in Qinzhou, further bringing relations between the two countries to greater heights. CMQIP reportedly has a total area of 55sq km and a planned population of 500,000 with more land reserved for future development. The park comprises an industrial area, a residential area, a Science and Technology research and development centre, and a modern services focal point.
In line with the master plan, all preparation works were completed in 2011 and by 2015, the inaugural phase of the park will welcome the first batch of enterprises to begin operations. By 2020, the entire industrial park will take shape and be operational. It will be established as a smart city, an exemplary win-win development project to showcase China-Asean economic cooperation resulting in a hub of modern industries, an information technology super corridor, an ultra-modern, cultural and eco-friendly city, and a window of cooperation.
In similar ways, MCKIP will house industries such as automotive components; fibre cement board; stainless steel products; food processing; carbon fibre; electric and electronics products; Information and Communications Technology; consumer products; and the manufacturing of equipment for the plastics and metal industries in its 607-hectare site. It is also deemed a window of cooperation.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak was quoted as saying that MCKIP "has already attracted investment commitments worth RM10.5 billion and (is) creating 8,500 jobs". This is not counting potential spin-offs, including downstream and processing industries; transport and logistics; and training, retail and harbour-related industries.
MCKIP's proximity to major Chinese ports in the South China Sea gives it added advantage.
There are expectations for the parks to be sustainable by being well integrated into the community to ensure that the resources within them are well distributed, conserved and preserved. They should not just create economic gains but also be adept at enhancing equitable and quality human development. It is interesting that MCKIP is situated in the same industrial area as the controversial Lynas Advanced Materials Plant which is heavily involved in the production of rare earth materials. Incidentally, China is among the dominant countries which mine rare earth materials worldwide.
It is imperative that MCKIP positions itself as an environmentally-friendly outfit that should not only allow businesses across the region to collaborate with one another but also take the aspirations of the community into account based on a planned target of sustainable development.
More specifically, it should evolve into an eco-industrial park which regards the community as its focus in a nexus of mutually supporting environmental, economic and sociocultural activities as part of a larger industry-community collaborative strategy. These are two strands of the quadruple helix strategic approach; the remaining two being participation of the government, as in this case; and the academia.
The quadruple helix model is said to be more balanced and sustainable with direct involvement of the community in the scheme. The community was often marginalised and factored in after the fact previously!
In a nutshell, the combination of CMQIP and MCKIP will give Malaysia and China latitude to ensure that the socio-economic growth of Asean is sustainable for a long time. In this context, Malaysians must not rest on their laurels but actively participate to seize the opportunity in making this dream a reality!
- The writer is the vice-chancellor of the Albukhary International University