An artist's impression of the fish landing port complex in Sekinchan.
Selangor government has announced two key projects in the Sabak Bernam region under the Sabak Bernam Development Area (Sabda) initiative, aimed at ensuring long-term food security.
Both projects, under the purview of Menteri Besar Selangor Incorporated (MBI), will see the development of large-scale fishing ports and processing facilities that will provide over 7,000 jobs while increasing fishing capacity and seafood production.
The announcement was made along with the unveiling of plans for the first downstream tuna processing and deep-sea fish processing and packaging plant in Malaysia.
Caretaker Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Amirudin Shari said Selangor was committed to a massive scale-up of investments in long-term rural development, involving public-private collaboration.
“This will enable small-scale farmers and fisheries to increase production, better adapt to climate change, build local food chains and create commercial opportunities.
“The initiatives announced as part of Sabda’s focus to better manage our fishery industry will fully realise the potential of the coastal area while protecting our marine ecosystem.
“This is in line with the state government’s efforts in developing a blue economy as a pillar for our food sovereignty,” he said at the Sabda introduction programme held within Sabak Bernam’s padi fields.
Sabda is one of three new development zones identified under the comprehensive First Selangor Plan.
It aims to elevate entrepreneurship and innovation among local businesses and communities while attracting new investment opportunities to 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 local opportunities to drive eco-tourism.
MBI had inked a memorandum of understanding with Alpha Ocean Resources Bhd, a company in the seafood industry, to develop the tuna and deep-sea fish processing and packaging plant.
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 as well as a land-based fish and crab farm that will create between 2,500 and 5,000 job opportunities.
The initial investment in the landing port, which is expected to start operating within one year, is over RM100mil.
MBI chief executive officer Norita Mohd Sidek announced plans to develop Malaysia’s first integrated fish landing port in Sekinchan.
It will be equipped with a comprehensive traceability system that tracks the origin, processing and distribution of fish.
The project is a collaboration between MBI, Sekinchan Fishing Industry Association and Sekinchan Fishermen’s Association.
It is estimated to attract an investment of RM484mil over a 10-year period in Sabak Bernam and create over 4,000 jobs.
“The existing jetty will be expanded to double the berthing capacity to 400 boats, which will reduce waiting time and improve efficiency,” said Norita.
“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 tonnes of fish and 20,000 tonnes of seafood products processed annually, which will boost the local economy and improve our food security,” she added.
The first phase, focusing on the fisheries and processing sectors, is expected to be completed in 2027.
In addition to announcing these two main projects, MBI presented three agropreneurs under the Selangor Smart Agro Park Initiative with certificates of appreciation for creating higher yields and enhancing quality crops using Internet of Things applications for precision farming through fertigation, greenhouse farming and drones for monitoring and fertilising.
Five other entrepreneurs in Sabak Bernam received certificates of appreciation for cultivating Matag coconuts that produced higher and richer yields.
