Singapore to expand petrochemical island

Singapore to expand petrochemical island

Associated Press
Singapore

Singapore will add another 500 hectares to heavily guarded
Jurong Island to expand its petrochemical facilities by 2005, the
city-state's trade and industry minister said on Friday.

George Yeo, Singapore's Trade and Industry Minister, said the
administration would enlarge the island, already host to 72
companies, in an effort to attract more petrochemical companies.

Since separation from Malaysia in 1965, the wealthy, but land-
starved Southeast Asian island nation has reclaimed over 100
square kilometers of land. Most of the sand used in reclamation
projects comes from neighboring Indonesia and Malaysia.

"Jurong Island has an area of more than 2,700 hectares which
is three times the area of the islands from which it was formed,"
Yeo said in a speech to open a logistics facility on the island.
"Jurong Town Corporation intends to reclaim a further 500
hectares by 2005."

The corporation is a government body that runs Jurong Island.

The island, with over S$20 billion (US$11.42 billion) worth of
investment on it, was allegedly one of the targets for Jemaah
Islamiyah, the regional arm of al-Qaida. Security on the island
has been stepped up since the arrest of more than 30 Jemaah
Islamiyah operatives here after Sept. 11. 2001.