RM5.3bil glass-making plant proposed for Sabah

Kota Kinabalu: Sabah may be home to the country's largest float-glass manufacturing plant if a proposal to set up such a plant at Kota Kinabalu Industrial Park (KKIP), near here, becomes a reality.

SunBear, a multi-national US company, was invited by Malaysian Industrial Development Authority (Mida) to set up the proposed RM5.3 billion plant in Sabah.

When operational, the plant will be the largest in Malaysia and is expected to produce 2,800 metric tonnes of float glass per day and generate some 10,000 wide-ranging jobs.

On Monday, SunBear Solar Sdn Bhd Chairman, Lee Holt Judd, accompanied by glass-making experts, briefed Chief Minister Datuk Seri Musa Aman on the proposed project.

Lee said the sand on Balambangan Island was ideal for glass-making for solar panels.

Musa said the State Government welcomed the project and would extend its assistance to facilitate its development.

"We are always supportive of projects with significant FDI and especially those that will provide job opportunities and impart technical skills to the people."

Also present at the briefing were the Minister of Industrial Development, Datuk Raymond Tan, KKIP Sdn Bhd Chairman, Datuk Basalie Abd Hamid, KKIP Chief Executive Officer, Datuk Ir Chong Hon Len, and Mida KL Non-Resource Division Senior Director, Azman Mahmud.