Sarawak still not ready for foreign investors, says DAP rep
KUCHING : A Sarawak assemblyman has raised concerns over Sarawak's readiness to host foreign investors, despite the state being marketed as an attractive destination.
Pending assemblyman Violet Yong of DAP claims many foreign investors encounter major hurdles upon their arrival. She said these include the lack of proper infrastructure and haphazard coordination among the relevant departments and agencies.
Yong said many foreigners were keen on investing in the state following the hype generated by the Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) government.
'But the problem is when they come to Sarawak, the state is not ready. There are no facilities or sufficient power to set up their operations immediately,' she told FMT, adding that many of these foreign investors had approached her with complaints.
She also claimed that prospective investors were often left in the dark about basic requirements.
'The common questions are 'Where is the site for me to set up my factory? Is there sufficient power? How do I go about applying?',' she said.
According to Yong, the state lacked a one-stop centre to help investors get set up.
Although the state agency Invest Sarawak provided some guidance, the process remained too cumbersome and time-consuming.
'They can guide you, but the process is too tedious.
'For example, if someone wanted to set up a data centre, they would have to write to the land and survey department and after that, check if there is sufficient power supply,' she said.
She added that aother hurdle is the numerous licences needed.
Yong said she had been told by some potential investors that they ended up investing their money elsewhere because of the hurdles they faced in Sarawak.
'I was made to understand that they could not wait and decided to go to Penang or Vietnam,' she said, adding that she had raised the issue in May at the state assembly.
Yong claimed the state government was more focused on promotion than preparing for the right facilities and processes for investors.
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