PAKA, a small coastal town north of Kerteh, will soon undergo a major transformation with the construction of a RM22mil business centre by Eastern Pacific Properties Sdn Bhd.

The project to be called the Paka Business Centre comprises 26 two-storey shophouses and 49 three-storey shophouses as well as a bazaar and will be completed by the end of next year.

Eastern Pacific is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Eastern Pacific Industrial Corp Bhd (EPIC), a KLSE-listed company with a 40% stake held by the Terengganu State Economic Development Corporation.

Datuk Wan Abdul Mutalib Embong (third from left) being briefed on the Paka Business Centre by Eastern Pacific GM Mohamad Ibrahim (right) after the ground breaking.

EPIC chief executive officer Md Suhaimi Husain said about 60% of the shophouses had been taken up since the launch in January.

The two-storey shophouses are sold between RM260,000 and RM 290,000 and the three-storey between RM360,000 and RM530,000.

He said the second phase of the business centre would involve either construction of a hotel or service apartments.

Suhaimi said this to newsmen last Thursday after a ground-breaking ceremony of the project by state executive councillor Datuk Wan Abdul Muttalib Embong, who is also EPIC chairman.

He said the business centre was the first property project undertaken by Eastern Pacific.

EPIC subsidiary Pangkalan Bekalan Kemaman Sdn Bhd based in Kemaman is a supplier base company for off-shore and upstream petroleum activities. It is also developing the industrial infrastructure in the Teluk Kalong industrial estate in Kemaman, encompassing 130ha. Another subsidiary Natuream Enviro-Serviced Sdn Bhd also based in Kemaman is in the sludge management business.

Source: The Star