By Danial Dzulkifly
SHAH ALAM, Feb 24 – The Sabak Bernam Development Area (Sabda) initiative is moving forward with 18 active projects, which include two new ones replacing those that were previously scrapped, says Datuk Rizam Ismail.
The state executive councillor for rural development and unity stated that the planned palm oil mill and poultry slaughterhouse in Sekendi, deemed unfeasible, have been replaced with the Sabak Bernam Biosphere Reserve and the Sabda Research and Study Centre.
“The palm oil mill project was scrapped as the total plantation area of 8,272 acres falls short of the 10,000-acre minimum requirement for a viable processing facility.
“The limited palm oil production would not have sustained mill operations,” Rizam said during a question-and-answer session at the Selangor State Legislative Assembly today.
Rizam said the poultry slaughterhouse project was dropped because the proposed site was unsuitable for a centralised facility.
Providing an update on Sabda projects, Rizam stated that seven initiatives are in the conceptual phase.
Among them are the downstream seafood and agro-food industry in Sungai Lang, the Sekinchan seafood landing complex, the Hay Resort redevelopment, the Sabak Bernam fibre optic expansion, the Selangor Smart Agro Farm in Jelutong Jati, and the newly introduced Sabda Research and Study Centre.
He said the Rest and Treatment (R&R) Air Manis and Sabak Bernam Agropolitan Complex are in the design and planning phase, whereas nine other projects have advanced to implementation and monitoring.
These include the Sabak Bernam economic development programme, Sungai Air Tawar Eco-Tourism Triangle, Sungai Panjang Firefly Conservation Centre, Ban Canal Eco-Tourism, and the Sungai Air Tawar-Hutan Melintang Bridge.
Rizam said several Smart Agro Park projects in Sungai Air Tawar, Sungai Panjang, and Changkat Menteri are also under implementation.
The Sungai Air Tawar state representative added that one of the completed projects under Sabda is the connection to the West Coast Expressway (WCE).
However, he said that another section, a 29.5-kilometre stretch connecting FR5 from Tanjung Karang to Assam Jawa, is 77 per cent complete.
