PETALING JAYA: The East Coast Economic Region Development Council (ECERDC) has exceeded its 2025 investment target within the first six months of the year, securing RM10.4bil in committed investments, and achieving RM6.4bil in realised investments.

The investments are expected to create 2,844 job opportunities across the region. The ECERDC had initially targeted to secure RM10bil in investments for 2025.

The East Coast Economic Region (ECER) covers Kelantan, Terengganu, Pahang and the districts of Mersing and Segamat, Johor.

In a statement, ECERDC said the manufacturing sector is the main contributor, accounting for 59% of total investments.

Pahang led with realised investments worth RM4bil, followed by Terengganu with RM1.3bil and Kelantan with RM1.1bil, while Johor saw investments in agriculture amounting to RM13.3mil from the development of a biocompost facility in Mersing.

Key realised investments in the first six months of 2025 include a RM1bil integrated oil refinery plant, a RM950mil tourism development, and a RM667mil facility to produce Maleic Anhydride in Pahang.

In Kelantan, a RM1bil 84MW mini hydroelectric plant is being developed, while Terengganu secured a RM638mil investment for the processing of pulverised quartz.

After chairing the first council meeting for 2025 yesterday, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said ECERDC continues to play a vital role in accelerating inclusive growth across the East Coast region.

“The investments secured signal that ECER remains a high-potential growth corridor for Malaysia.

“These efforts are aligned with our national commitment to balanced regional development, ensuring that all Malaysians benefit from economic progress.”

ECERDC is also completing eight strategic and impactful projects in 2025, in line with the strategic thrusts outlined under the ECER development plan.

Under the development plan, to enhance food security, ECERDC has completed the Goat Milk Collection Centres in Ketereh and Pasir Puteh, Kelantan (April 2025), and is undertaking the final stages of the Jemaluang Dairy Valley in Johor to strengthen the region’s agro-based value chains.

Under the high-value manufacturing and hard-to-abate thrust, ECERDC is strengthening the industrial ecosystem through the expansion of Kerteh Biopolymer Park in Terengganu, supporting industries such as biopolymer, petrochemical, and advanced materials.

Phase 4A Package 1 was completed in 2024, while the SME Complex Phase 1B is nearing completion by mid-2025, and Phase 4A Package 2 is currently underway.

The project is expected to attract RM4.4bil in investments by 2029.

In enhancing regional connectivity, the Kuala Terengganu Airport Road (Package 2) is under development to improve access and support the region’s tourism and logistics ecosystems.

The construction of the Palekbang–Kota Baru Bridge, a catalytic project that will improve cross-river connectivity and unlock economic opportunities in Kelantan, began earlier this year and is progressing well.