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Saturday March 22, 2008

Kedah to resite petrochemical industrial zone to Gurun

By SIRA HABIBU

ALOR STAR: The proposed RM23.9bil oil pipeline project stretching 300km from Yan in Kedah to Bachok in Kelantan is set to be scrapped.

The Kedah Government has decided to relocate the proposed Petrochemical Industrial Zone project from Yan to Gurun.

Mentri Besar Azizan Abdul Razak said Gurun was more suitable for oil refinery facilities.

“We do not want to spoil the fertile soil in Yan to make way for the project,” he told a press conference yesterday.

Azizan said InvestKedah had advised him that it was not possible to include the pipeline component of the project if the site were to be relocated.

He said the refined petroleum could be transported to the Far East via the Straits of Malacca.

“We do not have to lay pipeline and spoil our environment and destroy 2,000ha of fertile soil in Yan to build oil refineries.

“Furthermore, if the project is implemented in Yan, we will have to demolish two mosques, three suraus and remove three cemeteries,” he said, adding that the project would also affect 800 houses.

He said Gurun was more suitable and was closer to existing Petronas fertilizer plant.

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