MELAKA GOVT COMMITTED TO BOOSTING ECONOMIC GROWTH, SAYS AB RAUF

MELAKA, July 11 (Bernama) — The Melaka state government is committed to ensuring economic growth after the state’s gross domestic product (GDP) grew by three per cent in 2023 compared to 8.6 per cent the previous year. 

Melaka Chief Minister Datuk Seri Ab Rauf Yusoh said the state recorded a GDP of RM46.9 billion last year.

Thus, the state government remains steadfast in focusing fully on the people’s welfare, he said.

bootstrap slideshow

“A top priority is to develop Melaka as a renowned educational hub and a centre of excellence for technical and vocational education and training (TVET) through the establishment of a special unit under the supervision of Melaka Corporation (MCorp) for the coordination of TVET programmes and the establishment of the Melaka Centre of Excellence (MCOE).

“TVET has high potential to produce more professional and highly skilled workers in line with developed countries,” Ab Rauf said in his winding-up speech at the Melaka State Legislative Assembly sitting here today.

He said the state government will also prioritise boosting investment activities by improving the investment ecosystem, with Melaka recording a total investment of RM2.38 billion as of March 2024.

bootstrap slideshow

“In this regard, as a result of a recent official working visit to China, a semiconductor company, which is the seventh largest in the world, will expand its operations in Melaka this year with an estimated investment value of RM2.4 billion, thus offering more than 3,000 job opportunities,” said Ab Rauf.

He also highlighted that the state government is taking measures to strengthen the people’s economy by assisting entrepreneurs and traders through the “Inisiatif Program Mula Niaga”, which involves an allocation of RM200,000 to 67 entrepreneurs, each receiving RM3,000.

“Additional initiatives to strengthen the people’s economy are by providing general business assistance such as capital and equipment, business management courses or workshops, and entrepreneurship guidance and monitoring programmes under the Melaka Islamic Religious Council, and loan or financing services by government agencies,” said Ab Rauf.

He noted that the state government will also enhance the tourism sector through various initiatives such as the Visit Melaka Year 2024, which attracted about 7.7 million tourists up to June.

“Based on the statistics of foreign tourist arrivals, Chinese tourists recorded the highest attendance at 34.88 per cent, followed by Singapore (16.63 per cent) and Indonesia (14.26 per cent).

“According to statistics for the first quarter of 2024, Malaysia received 960,000 tourists from China, 60 per cent of whom visited Melaka,” said Ab Rauf.

— BERNAMA