Source : @BernamaBiz
KUALA LUMPUR, November 4, 2026 – The Kedah Rubber City (KRC) project has secured RM3.344 billion in committed investments from five key investors as of September 2026, Economy Minister Akmal Nasrullah Mohd Nasir told the Dewan Rakyat on Wednesday, Bernama reported.
The minister said the government is also talking to more companies that have shown interest in the rubber-based industrial hub in Kedah. According to Bernama, he said three further potential investors are in discussions, with an estimated combined investment of RM450 million.
Akmal Nasrullah gave the figures while winding up the debate on the Supply Bill 2027 and the motion on the 2027 development expenditure estimates for the Economy Ministry at the committee stage.
KRC is one of the flagship projects in the northern region, which is overseen by the Northern Corridor Implementation Authority (NCIA). The hub is meant to draw manufacturers that turn natural rubber into higher-value products, creating jobs and adding value to a commodity that remains important to many rural communities in Kedah and the rest of the north.
41 corridor projects under way
Bernama reported that the minister also said 41 corridor development projects are being carried out across the country’s regional development authorities, made up of five new projects and 36 that are already ongoing.
These are being implemented by the NCIA, the East Coast Economic Region Development Council (ECERDC), the Regional Corridor Development Authority (RECODA) in Sarawak and the Sabah Economic Development and Investment Authority (SEDIA). For the NCIA alone, 20 projects are planned for 2027, comprising four new projects and 16 that are continuing, he said.
Focus on sustainability and SMEs
Akmal Nasrullah said the ministry is giving special attention to the sustainable development goals agenda, technology and the empowerment of local small and medium enterprises (SMEs) through its development spending for next year.
He said this would be driven by physical projects and high-impact initiatives, among them the development of a framework for carbon capture, utilisation and storage (CCUS), the blue economy and the construction of industrial facilities, so that local supply chains can adapt to global standards.
“There are several programmes or projects that we have identified and will be prioritising next year,” he was quoted as saying by Bernama.
The ministry also plans to channel development funds through the State Economic Development Corporations to provide modern premises and dedicated industrial sites for SME entrepreneurs.
Among the initiatives mentioned were a new SME factory in Chembong, Negeri Sembilan, the development of Phase 5 of the Kulim Hi-Tech Park in Kedah, an industrial site development in Gebeng, Pahang, and a programme to develop bumiputera micro, small and medium-sized entrepreneurs in Selangor.
Budget approved by voice vote
After the debate, the Dewan Rakyat approved the Economy Ministry’s 2027 operating and development expenditure estimates under Budget 2027 by a majority voice vote. Seventeen Members of Parliament took part in the debate on the ministry’s estimates, Bernama said.
The committee-stage debate on Budget 2027 continues ministry by ministry in the Dewan Rakyat, with each minister winding up the debate on their own ministry’s spending before the estimates are put to a vote.
For Kedah, the new commitments add to the state’s effort to build up manufacturing beyond its traditional base in agriculture. The progress of KRC and the further investors now in talks will be watched closely as the government pushes to spread economic growth more evenly across the regions through the corridor authorities.
Source : Bernama
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