Minister Khalid Abdul Samad said the project would help boost the island’s tourism sector and provide economic spillover to the Labuan folk.
“We have discussed it with the Marine Department and Marine Park Department.
“They have no objections to it so long as the marine ecosystem is unaffected and is taken care of,” he told reporters after attending a function here today.
The minister said the project, as suggested by the two departments, must first be carried out at the northern part of the Kuraman Island, while the southern part, where the centre of the marine park is located, must be left unaffected.
“We want the marine park to be developed so that it will become a tourist attraction and benefit Labuan’s tourism industry.
“Of course, we will not allow the project to destroy the marine ecosystem or there will be a hue and cry from the environmentalists and eventually we will lose the potential tourism product,” he said.
Khalid revealed that an investor from China was keen on developing the RM8 billion project, which will create 10,000 jobs for locals.
“If everything is in place, construction of the mammoth 147ha project is slated to begin early next year,” he said.
Labuan Corporation chairman Amir Hussien told Bernama the 10-year master plan from 2019 is expected to provide multiplier effects of RM1 billion for heavily oil-and-gas-dependent Labuan.
At least 800,000 tourist arrivals per year can be expected.
Amir said the project would have trickle-down effects on the local economy and the people as it would consist of 16 three-star to six-star resort hotels, a tourism town enclave, condominiums and apartments, international marinas, wellness centres, a water world theme park and sea water lagoon as well as signature seafood restaurants.
“There will be three more man-made islands, namely Kuraman 2, 3 and 4, to be built in stages around the existing Kuraman Island and that will be fully completed in 2029,” Amir said.
He added that upon completion, the four islands would be transformed into the “Cancun” of the Far East.