The project is progressing according to schedule, with 17 per cent of the venture ready to date, said Johor Chief Minister, Mohamed Khaled Nordin.

As such he added, the people have nothing to worry about in respect of the project, which is also focused on downstream industries.

“Rapid is focused on crude oil refining activities and not processing (oil), so the impact is less,” he added.

Mohamed Khaled told the media this after officiating a Petronas service station at the Rapid site here yesterday.

The service station is under the aegis of the Koperasi Pengerang Jaya Johor Bhd (Kopeja) and began operations last October.

According to Mohamed Khaled, the two key players of the Rapid, Dialog Group-Royal Vopak-State Secretary Incorporated, have reiterated their commitment to continuing the project, while other investors may slow down their activities.

Rapid, a component of the Pengerang Integrated Complex (PIC) is estimated at US$16 billion, while supporting facilities involve investments worth US$11 billion.

Mohamed Khaled had earlier urged the cooperative movement to work together to grab business opportunities, to ensure all their members benefitted.

He said the state government had placed cooperatives as a formula to boost the resilience and competitiveness of Johor’s economy thus helping the people better cope with the present high cost of living.

– BERNAMA