MALAYSIA EYES MORE INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS IN INDIA

By Alan Ting

KUALA LUMPUR, July 2 (Bernama) -- Malaysia is eyeing more infrastructure
projects in India, particulary those related to airports, ports and roads,
Transport Minister Kong Cho Ha said.

With India planning to spend up to RM3.6 trillion (US$1 trillion) on such
infrastructure, Kong said there was huge opportunities for Malaysian companies
to participate through cooperation with the Indian government and private
entities there.

"For example, the Delhi airport terminal was built by a private-public group
overseen by infrastructure builder GMR Group, with Malaysia Airport Holdings
Berhad as one of the partners.

"We are eyeing more opportunities in India. I will raise the prospect of the
participation of Malaysian companies there with my counterpart in India," he
told Bernama in an interview here.

Kong will make a three-day official visit to India from Friday and is
scheduled to hold bilateral meetings with Civil Aviation Minister Praful
Patel, Railway Minister Mamata Banerjee and Union Shipping Minister G.K Vasan.

Apart from that, he will also attend the opening of the Indira Gandhi
International Airport's Terminal 3, India’s largest and one of the world’s most
modern airport terminals, by Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Saturday.

MAHB through Malaysia Airports Niaga Sdn Bhd has teamed team up with the GMR
Group and Fraport AG in Delhi International Airport Limited to operate and
manage the Indira Gandhi International Airport.

Kong said he will also take the opportunity to extend the Malaysian
government's invitation for Manmohan to visit the country.

The latest data from the Indian Government showed that Malaysian
construction companies have already completed projects worth US$2.3 billion in
the country under its infrastructure expansion plan.

In Malaysia, the government has awarded Indian railway company IRCON
International, a RM3.45 billion (US$1.07 billion) (US$1=RM3.22) contract to
build a double track railway system from Seremban to Gemas.

Seremban is the capital while Gemas is a town, in Negeri Sembilan state
located on the western coast of Peninsular Malaysia, just south of Kuala Lumpur.

It is scheduled for completion by 2012.

-- BERNAMA




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