Najib announces 21 projects worth RM20.5b

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Mohd Najib Razak today announced 21 new projects worth RM20.46 billion under seven National Key Economic Areas (NKEAs).

The projects are expected to boost Gross National Income (GNI) by RM4.59 billion and create 39,918 jobs.

He said the 21 projects fell under agriculture, business services, education, healthcare, wholesale and retail, electrical and electronics and the Greater KL/Klang Valley NKEAs.

With Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growing at 4.7 per cent in the first quarter of the year, which was above general consensus, Najib reminded Malaysians that the ETP was "far from saying mission accomplished".

"Global economic headwinds are still uncertain and now, more than ever, we must keep to our true north, to focus on the key engines of growth in the economy, and to be competitive globally," the prime minister said in his first progress update on the ETP for this year.

Meanwhile, a statement by the Performance Management and Delivery Unit (PEMANDU), issued before the briefing, said committed investment for the Agriculture NKEA amounted to RM456.69 million and would contribute about RM367.58 million in GNI and create 2,539 jobs by 2020.

It said the Business Services NKEA has a committed investment of RM2.40 billion and would contribute RM1.41 billion in GNI and create employment for 10,909 people by 2020.

The Wholesale and Retail NKEA has a committed investment of RM466.8 million which would contribute RM1.1 billion to GNI and create 16,363 jobs.

The Healthcare NKEA has committed investments of RM107.14 million and would contribute some RM238.06 million to GNI and provide jobs to 3,735 people by 2020.

PEMANDU also said the Education NKEA would see a committed investment of RM535.58 million and contribute some RM146.39 million in national income besides generating 660 jobs.
The Electrical and Electronics NKEA would receive investment of RM4 billion and create 1,000 jobs in 2020, out of which 400 would be highly-skilled jobs.

Pemandu also said the Greater KL/Klang Valley NKEA would have a committed investment of RM12.5 billion and contribute some RM1.34 billion to GNI in addition to creating employment opportunities for 4,712 people. -- Bernama