SEREMBAN: The Negeri Sembilan (NS) government is optimistic it will be able to achieve this year’s new investment target exceeding RM10 billion, thereby raising the state’s economic growth.

Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Aminuddin Harun (pix) attributed this confidence to the completion of several new industrial areas which could potentially attract domestic and foreign investors’ interest.

“We could (potentially) see investments of more than RM10 billion this year. We are confident that the existence of the industrial areas will contribute to new investments; investors are also showing interest and coming to Invest NS to enquire about the state’s potential.

“It (Invest NS) is a centre for disseminating information about investments and assists investors interested in continuing to invest here. We provide technical assistance and immediate approval to ensure the process is carried out quickly and efficiently. There are already several large companies (that want to invest) this year,“ he told reporters after chairing the state executive council meeting here, today.

Aminuddin previously said that the state successfully achieved the investment target via 189 approved projects with investments totalling RM10.1 billion last year, which is a 13 per cent jump compared with RM8.9 billion in the preceding year.

On a separate matter, Aminuddin said he has also asked the state secretary to conduct a study on the need for flexible working hours on Fridays for female civil servants during Ramadan.

However, he said the state government had previously implemented flexible working hours for the civil servants which had certainly helped them to manage their time better. -Bernama