YB. R.S.N RAYER - A.D.U.N. SERI DELIMA, PENANG

GEORGE TOWN, TUES:

The joint DAP-Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) Penang state government has outlined five core areas for investPenang to draw more investment to Penang.

Chief minister Lim Guan Eng said the five main focus areas are:

1. To accelerate the growth of small and medium-size industries/entrepreneurs which form the backbone of Penang's economy;
   
2. To get new investments into the state;
   
3. To get re-investments from existing companies operating here;
   
4. To further enhance and support Bumiputera participation; and
   
5. To develop a skill competency centre to draw in more cutting edge technology investments such as bio-tech.

"All this is aimed at achieving and accelerating a higher level of growth through investments," he said after a formal ceremony to welcome Datuk Lee Kah Choon as director of investPenang and as the executive committee chairman at investPenang office in Bayan Lepas here today.

He also announced deputy chief minister I Mohammad Fairus Khairuddin as investPenang chairman and deputy chief minister II Prof P. Ramasamy as the deputy chairman.
Lim also stressed on the importance of `after investment networking` where he encouraged investPenang officers to be in constant contact with investors.

"This is especially so for those who invest heavily in the state, say RM1 billion or more.
"It should also be applied to critical cutting edge technology companies. We want our investors to have confidence in us and we want them to know we are concerned about them," he said.

Lim said by so doing, hopefully Penang's success story can be shared with other prospective investors who intend to set up their base here.