KL investors eye Jambi province

JAMBI (Antara): A number of Malaysian businessmen are at present exploring investment possibilities in Jambi in the cement industry and in the management of rubber smallholdings, an official of the Jambi administration has said.

The head for planning and promotion of the Jambi provincial investment coordinating board (BKPMD), Hasani Hamid, said that cooperation would be carried out under a partnership scheme as a follow up of the realization of the Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore Growth Triangle IMS-GT cooperation area.

However, he did not elaborate on the number and names of the would-be investors.

Jambi possesses large deposits of base materials for the production of cement, including limestone deposits, estimated at 2.5 billion cubic meters, as well as quartz sand and kaolin deposits.

About 90 percent of the cement industry's base materials are available in Jambi's Sarolangun Bangko district.

The Malaysian businessmen had also expressed their interest in investing in the rubber plantation sector as well as support the rejuvenation program of old rubber smallholdings which are no longer productive.

Jambi has a vast area of rubber smallholdings. About 100,000 hectares of area are planted with old trees which present needs rejuvanating, Hasani Hamid said.