Tarikh : 12th February 2023 (Sunday)
Masa : 9:30 am
Tempat : Aloft Langkawi, Pantai Tengah Langkawi
OPENING REMARKS
1. Alhamdulillah, all praises to Allah, the Merciful, the All-Beneficent, by whose Grace and Blessings made it possible for us to gather here today for the launching of Langkawi Invest Day 2023, with the theme “Unlocking Investment Opportunity For Sustainable Tourism”.
2. First of all, I would like to express my sincere gratitude to YB Dato’ Wira Dr. Ku Abd. Rahman bin Ku Ismail, Kedah Investment Exco. We are delighted to have you today for the launching of the inaugural Langkawi Invest Day.
3. I would also like to extend my utmost gratitude to LADA’s strategic partners in this events, the Northern Corridor Implementation Authority (NCIA), the Malaysian Investment Development Authority (MIDA), State Economic Planning Division (BPEN) Kedah, Langkawi District and Land Office and the Langkawi Municipal Council (MPLBP) that joined hands to ensure today’s program a success.
4. Taking this opportunity, me and the rest of LADA’s team would like to express our sincerest gratitude to our former CEO, Tuan Nasaruddin bin Abdul Muttalib, for his exemplary leadership and mentorship. It has been an honour and a privilege to have you as our boss and this great event is a direct result of your vision and hard work. We would also like to congratulate you on your promotion as the Deputy Director General of the Royal Malaysian Customs Department. Thank you for your guidance and support, you’ll surely be missed and we wish you all the best in your future endeavours.
5. My highest appreciation also goes to the investment companies, distinguished guests and members of media that attended this event to support Langkawi’s aspirations to be one of the preferred tourism destination in the world.
ECONOMY DEVELOPMENT
Ladies and gentlemen,
6. The attraction of Langkawi lies from its abundant and diversified natural biology and geological attributes which has earned Langkawi the status of the First UNESCO Global Geopark in South East Asia in 2007. This recognition is expected to continuously elevate Langkawi’s position as a top tourist destination in Malaysia as well as the world. Langkawi archipelago is also known for its stunning natural surroundings and will continue to attract high-spending tourists by offering unique experiences, seamless air and sea connectivity, fun-filled tourism products and top-notch tourism services.
7. Langkawi’s tourism industry has been made accessible to domestic and international travellers through the launch of Langkawi International Travel Bubble initiatives since 16th September 2021. The lifting of national border restrictions on 1st April 2022 has greatly impacted tourism and economic growth of Langkawi, leading to a nearly complete recovery.
8. Langkawi has received an influx of 2 million tourists in 2022, an increase of 900,000 tourists as compared to 2021. I am convinced the number of tourists arrival to this island will continue to grow in the coming years. Hence, various prestigious events will be held throughout the year to ensure that the arrival of tourists is not only concentrated in certain seasons but continues throughout the year.
9. Among the prestigious events that have been organised are the triathlon events namely IRONMAN Malaysia and IRONMAN 70.3 Langkawi 2022, Langkawi Legendary Ride (involving participation from seven (7) countries, namely Singapore, Indonesia, Great Britain, Thailand, Australia, the Netherlands and France), the Langkawi International Perdana Regatta 2022, 8th Carrom World Championship 2022 and more.
10. This year, Langkawi will be hosting the Langkawi International Maritime and Aerospace (LIMA) Exhibition which will be held from 23rd to 27thMay 2023. As for 2024, Langkawi will be hosting the Routes Asia Conference, an event that gathers 800 to 1,000 experts from the Asia Pacific aviation industry including airlines, airport management and destination aviation industry players to explore potential routes for new destinations. Such international-scale events have invigorated Langkawi’s economy and bring significant economic benefits to community of Langkawi in particular.
Ladies and Gentleman,
11. LADA is striving to expand Langkawi’s air-connectivity by attracting more domestic and international airlines to increase flights frequency from new and high potential domestic and international destinations. Currently, Langkawi receives 20 to 30 inbound flights daily, with the figure increasing on weekends and holidays. The Langkawi Charter Flight Incentive Program introduced by LADA has attracted several airlines to offer air-connectivity services to Langkawi, including MyAirline Airlines, which offers routes from Kuala Lumpur and Penang to Langkawi, as well as AirAsia that offers direct flights from Singapore to Langkawi.
12. LADA also promoting Langkawi as the preferred holiday destination to the global market through participation in international promotion programmes such as the Tourism Malaysia Roadshow in Moscow, Russia, South Asia’s Travel & Tourism Exchange (SATTE) in New Delhi, India and the Arabian Travel Market (ATM) in Dubai, UAE.
EXPLORATION OF NEW FIELDS
13. Langkawi has a total land area of 117,416.87 acres and LADA owns 2,207.70 acres representing 1.88% of total land area of the island. A total of 47% of LADA’s land are leased to private parties and 28% of development is carried out by LADA and the remaining 25% or 551,925 acres remains undeveloped.
14. In order to plan development and encourage investment in Langkawi, LADA has taken the initiative to create the MASPLAN LADA 2030 as a preparation and commitment to develop Langkawi Island. This plan was drawn up to support the “Naturally Langkawi” theme and in line with the vision of the Langkawi District Local Plan 2030 used by Langkawi Municipal Council (MPLBP).
15. The MASPLAN LADA was created to provide comprehensive guidance to investors. Additionally, the Investment Guide published by LADA aims to enhance the promotion and provide direction of development planning on LADA’s lands. These guides serves as a reference for investors to understand better on the development potential on LADA’s lands.
16. LADA welcomes various forms of investment to the island. The diversity of the tourism sub-sector may entice various target groups of different categories to visit Langkawi. Health tourism, for example, is one of the sought after investments that Langkawi needs. Meanwhile, Langkawi is also a preferred destination for M.I.C.E (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Exhibitions) activities. Langkawi is projected to be able to attract tourists from various destinations due to the presence of appealing characteristics and great facilities.
17. Aside from that, Langkawi also has abundance of marine life and aquatic habitats which provides a natural location for large-scale commercial aquaculture activities. The investment opportunities are plentiful and it will be beneficial to the local economy as well as tourists who appreciate the beauty of underwater ecosystems.
18. Langkawi is also attempting to attract environmentally friendly and green technology investments in order to support the implementation of Langkawi as a low-carbon island. Therefore, the organising theme of this programme, Unlocking Investment Opportunities for Sustainable Tourism is coincides with the goal of making Langkawi to becoming a low-carbon island by 2035.
CONCLUSION
Ladies and gentlemen,
19. Langkawi has already attracted many forms of commercial investment, such as the development of 3 to 5 star hotels, eco-tourism attractions, shopping centres and premium outlet. This has resulted in increased exposure for Langkawi as a leading tourist destination in the region and the world. Thus, the future developments of Langkawi are to be based on these strengths and to provide investments in the high demand areas or sectors in order to further develop Langkawi as an effective tropical island destination in Malaysia.
20. As the current economic situation is recovering, the investment landscape in Langkawi is very conducive for investors to venture into. LADA has been able to establish a strong reputation as a leader in the industry through its strategic partnerships with local authorities, state and federal government, local as well as international investment companies. LADA also has many potential and strategic lands which available to be develop via Public Private Partnership. To achieve this, we are always innovate and improve our operations by formulating and practicing various investment models that are applied according to the needs of each project. These include smart partnerships, joint ventures, lease, rental and other methods of investment. These dynamic approaches have helped LADA ease potential investors’ concerns about red tape and other investment regulations.
21. As an investor, you can take advantage of various investment models that are in accordance with the express conditions of the land and Langkawi District Local Plan 2030. Once you have submitted all the required documents, LADA will conduct a thorough and transparent evaluation of your proposed development project. This will ensure that all investments are made in accordance with the legal framework and are beneficial to both the investor and the local economy.
22. Before concluding my speech, I would once again like to congratulate all parties involved, directly or indirectly, in making Langkawi Invest Day 2023 a success. I believe that the efforts taken will be a catalyst for the involvement of corporate companies in contributing to the development of new investment projects in Langkawi.
23. I would also like to cordially invite all of you to explore the exhibition by federal and state investment related agencies to gather information related to investment opportunities, lands information, questions related to land issues, investment project applications, investment incentives and various other information related to investment opportunities in Langkawi and State of Kedah.
With that, I end my speech with Wabillahitaufik Walhidayah Wassalamualaikum Warahmatullahi Wabarakatuh.
Thank you.