The Sarawak Timber Industry Development Corporation (STIDC) hopes to obtain another 49 hectares of land to facilitate the shipbuilding industry in the new township of Tanjung Manis in Sarikei near here.

Minister of Urban Development and Tourism Datuk Sri Wong soon Koh said an earlier allocation of 81 hectares for the industry had been fully taken up by local and overseas shipbuilding companies.

STIDC is co-ordinating the industrial development of the township which also houses the country`s second biggest deepsea integrated fishing port.

He said the Tanjung Manis Shipbuilding zone would cater for the construction, repairs and maintenance of ocean liners and cargo vessels of up to 20,000 tonnes.

Wong said this at a ground-breaking ceremony for the extension works on the Kingwood Hotel here, Tuesday.

If approved, the shipbuilding industry would have 130 hectares of land allocated to it, he said.

He said Sibu would be linked to Tanjung Manis when the 88-km long Sibu/Bawang Assan/Serdeng/Tanjung Manis Highway project is completed in 2009.

The government is spending RM530 million for the project which is expected to attract more investments into the area once it is completed.

"Sibu, already aknowledged as the state central region financial hub, will see greater prosperity when more hinterland areas rich in natural resources and natural power sources like coal and hydro power are opened up to generate even bigger volume of economic activities," Wong said.

Source : BERNAMA