18,000 employment opportunities through Tok Bali Supply Base project

PASIR PUTEH: About 18,000 employment opportunities will be created with the development of the Tok Bali Supply Base (TBSB) project in Tok Bali over the next few years, said International Trade and Industry Minister Datuk Seri Mustapa Mohamed.
He said 3,000 jobs would be available at TBSB, with the remaining through the development of the tourism sector, such as hotels and restaurants.
"The project has 40 service providers and the company intends to increase the number up to 120 service providers over the next few years, apart from 600 vessels expected to berth there this year, from 309 ships last year," he told reporters after a briefing on the project here today.
Also present were Tok Bali Supply Base (TBSB) Sdn Bhd chairman, the Tengku Temenggong of Kelantan Tan Sri Tengku Mohamad Rizam Tengku Abdul Aziz and Kelantan Federal Development director Datuk Yahaya Mamat.
Tok Bali Supply Base provides infrastructure facilities to support the offshore petroleum industry in the northern area of the east coast of Peninsular Malaysia.
Mustapa, who is also Kelantan Federal Action Council chairman, said the East Coast Economic Region (ECER) would develop a 80 hectare site in Tok Bali as an industrial area.
"ECER has submitted the proposal to the state government and it is allocating RM200 million for development of the project.
"TBSB is also developing an area covering 80 hectare, about seven kilometres from where it is operating, into a district park," he said. — Bernama