UTC in Selangor, Penang to be ready in first half of 2018

JOHOR BARU: The Selangor and Penang Urban Transformation Centres (UTCs) are expected to be ready and fully operational within the first six months of next year.
The Finance Ministry's National Strategy Unit director, Datuk Dr Aminuddin Hashim said the Selangor UTC would be located in Shah Alam while the one in Penang had not been decided yet.
"The duration to set up a UTC at a location is actually 10 weeks and cannot exceed six months as the public urgently requires the services provided by a UTC.
"With the setting up of the UTC in Selangor and Penang, all states in the country would have UTCs," he said after the pre-launch of the Pasir Gudang UTC, here, by state financial officer, A. Rahim Nin.
Aminuddin said to date, there had been 55 million visits by members of the public for various services at the UTCs across the country which housed about 30 agencies including private entities and non-governmental organisations.
Meanwhile, Rahim said with a population of 420,000 in the Pasir Gudang area, its UTC located at the Pasir Gudang Town Centre Complex could serve the overflow of customers at the Johor Bahru UTC.
"The wish of the Johor Menteri Besar (Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin) to set up a UTC in Pasir Gudang has become a reality and it will not only serve the local residents, but also people from Pengerang and Kota Tinggi.
"It took only eight weeks to set up this UTC which starts operating today," he said.
The Pasir Gudang UTC, built at a cost of RM23 million, is the 21st in the country and scheduled to be officially opened by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak on Jan 25.
Thirteen agencies including the Youth and Sports Ministry, Immigration Department and National Registration Department offices are located at this UTC. — Bernama