PENANG Chief Minister Tan Sri Dr Koh Tsu Koon has dispelled perceptions that the state government overlooked the development of small-medium scale industries in Penang.

He said the state government had been giving priority to SMIs that applied for the state government land despite applications made by foreign investors.

“We are committed to help the growth of SMIs in Penang and I can assure them that they will get full backing and support from government department and agencies.

“We want to work closely with SMIs to promote their growth that will be a catalyst for the expansion of the state’s economy,” he said at the launching of Fairon Aluminium Sdn Bhd at the Bukit Minyak Industrial Park, near Butterworth, yesterday.

Dr Koh said the opening of Fairon affirmed the state’s policy of helping and promoting SMIs in Penang where the company’s application for land from the Penang Development Corporation was approved in a month.

Approval for pioneer status to Fairon was given in 18 months by the Ministry of International Trade and Industry, he added.

“In fact, a major foreign investor has applied to buy 60ha plot from PDC at the Bukit Minyak Industrial Park. Applications were also made for the same land by 50 other SMIs in Penang.

“Instead of selling the land to the foreigner, I decided to give priority to sell the land to the SMIs as I want to promote growth of the industry.

“So, it is not true to say that the state government has not given serious attention to the growth of SMIs in Penang,” he added.

Fairon’s managing director Alan Tham Ching Wah said the company had invested RM25mil to set up the state-of-the-art aluminum composite manufacturing plant in Bukit Minyak.

Tham said the plant would be able to produce some 1.2 million sq metres of the product under the brand name Fairon Composite annually.