The Selangor State Government today announced two key projects in the Sabak Bernam region, under the Sabak Bernam Development Area (SABDA) initiative, aimed at addressing the state’s long-term food security goals for a sufficient and reliable supply of staple foods to meet the needs of the domestic market.
Both projects under the purview of Menteri Besar Selangor (Incorporated) (“MBI”) will see the development of large-scale fisheries ports and processing facilities that will provide over 7,000 jobs, while increasing fishing capacity and seafood production.
Today’s announcement also unveiled plans for the first downstream tuna processing and deep-sea fish processing and packaging plant in Malaysia.
“Selangor is committed to drive massive scale-up of investments in long-term rural development, involving public-private collaboration to provide long-lasting solutions to ensure resilience for our food security. This will enable small-scale farmers and fisheries to increase local production, better adapt to climate change, build local food chains, and create and sustain local markets and commercial opportunities,” said Selangor Chief Minister Dato Seri Amirudin Shari at the SABDA Introduction Programme held within Sabak Bernam’s idyllic padi fields.
“The strategic initiatives announced as part of SABDA’s focus to better manage our fisheries industry, will fully realise the potential of the coastal area, while protecting our marine ecosystem in line with the State Government’s efforts in developing a blue economy as an integral pillar for our food sovereignty,” he added.
SABDA is one of three new economic development zones identified under the comprehensive Rancangan Selangor Pertama (RS-1) that aims to elevate entrepreneurship and innovation among local businesses and communities, while attracting new investment opportunities into the region.
SABDA spearheaded by MBI will focus on building Selangor’s food resilience by elevating agriculture and blue economy initiatives with new investments and technology, while leveraging on local opportunities to drive eco-tourism.
MBI today inked a Memorandum of Understanding with Alpha Ocean Resources Berhad (AORB), a leading company in the seafood industry, for the development of the first tuna and deep-sea fish processing and packaging plant in Malaysia.
Situated in Sungai Lang this facility is part of a 10-year project that will include a new landing port for large vessels plying the Indian Ocean and a land-based fish & crab farm that will create between 2,500 and 5,000 job opportunities. The initial investment of the landing port that is expected to start operating within one year, is over RM 100 million.
MBI CEO Hajah Norita Mohd Sidek also announced plans to develop Malaysia’s first integrated fish landing port in Sekinchan that will be equipped with a comprehensive traceability system that tracks the origin, processing, and distribution of every fish product in the facility.
The project is a collaboration between MBI, and the Sekinchan Fishing Industry Association and Sekinchan Fishermen Association including the local fishing communities and is estimated to attract investments of RM484.1 million over a 10-year period in Sabak Bernam and create 4,000 over jobs.
“The existing jetty will also be expanded to double the berthing capacity to accommodate 400 boats, which will reduce waiting time and improve efficiency. When completed, the project is expected to increase fishing capacity by 344% and the seafood processing industry by 20% in Sekinchan over the next 10 years. This means an addition of 300,000 tons of fish and 20,000 tons of seafood products processed annually, which will boost the local economy and improve our food security,” she said.
The first phase, focusing on the fisheries and processing sector, is expected to be completed in 2027. In addition to these two main projects, MBI awarded three local agropreneurs under the Selangor Smart Agro Park initiative Certificates of Appreciation for creating higher yields and enhanced quality crops using Internet of Things (IoT) applications for precision farming through fertigation, green house farming, and drones for monitoring and fertilising.
Five other entrepreneurs in Sabak Bernam also received Certificates of Appreciation in cultivating ‘MATAG’ coconuts that have been identified to produce higher, faster, and richer yields.
