Submit applications, illegal factories told

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ILLEGAL factory operators have been warned that action will be taken against them for failing to submit applications to legalise their factories.

Selangor New Village Development and Illegal Factory Task Force Committee chairman Ean Yong Hian Wah said the deadline to submit their applications was June 30 next year.

“If the owners still fail to apply within six months, after receiving reminders at the end of this year, the land administrators will issue the 7A notice in line with the National Land Code, which is flouting the land requirements.”

Errant operator: One of the illegal factories in Semenyih.

Yong said a two-year period would be given for those who had not settled their premiums.

“However, the state government has given better incentives in the form of discounts for premiums that are paid within nine months, to encourage the owners to legalise their factories,” he said.

“One example is offering a 50% discount for premiums to applicants who are able to prove that they have submitted loan applications to banks or financial institutions within three months of the conversion approval date.

“The state government is of the opinion that establishing a ‘furniture town’ is one way of solving the illegal factory problem in the Sungai Buloh New Village,” he said in his reply to a question from Dr Mohd Nasir Hashim (PR - Kota Damansara).

Yong added that the owners were encouraged to unite and form their own associations to better plan the development and infrastructure of their areas.

Meanwhile, Selangor Investment, Industry and Trade Committee chairman Teresa Kok revealed that between March 2008 till July 2009, 249 new projects had been approved by the Malaysian Industrial Development Authority (MIDA)/International Trade and Industry Ministry in Selangor, with an investment totalling RM7bil.

“Of this amount, more than RM2bil is from local investors, while more than RM4bil is from foreign ones, thus creating 18,166 jobs,” she said.

Teresa said the top five countries which had contributed the most in terms of investment capital were Germany, the United States, Japan, Singapore and Sweden.

“The top five focus centres in Selangor chosen by the foreign investors to make their investments in are Shah Alam, Selangor Science Park II, Sungai Way FTZ/ Seri Setia FTZ, Klang and Port Klang,” she said in her reply to a question from M. Manoharan (PR - Kota Alam Shah).