Sarawak Economic Development Corporation

SEDC going for facelift

KUCHING: The Sarawak State Economic Development Corporation has approved tens of millions of ringgit to refurbish its two international hotels and several other tourism-related assets.

Its chairman Datuk Talib Zulpilip said the Holiday Inn Kuching and Crowne Plaza Riverside Hotel, tourism gold award winner Sarawak Cultural Village in the Santubong peninsula, near here, and the Top Spot Food Court would be upgraded next year.

"The refurbishment of Kuching Waterfront is now in progress," he said after the official re-opening of the refurbished Sarawak Plaza Shopping Complex here yesterday.

Talib said there were plans to extend the popular, 890m-long waterfront following the recent closure of the Gambier Street wet market but the project would only be carried out when funds were available,

Kuching Hotels Sdn Bhd (an SEDC subsidiary) chairman Tan Sri Bujang Mohd Nor officiated the re-opening event.

SEDC spent some RM3mil to refurbish the 23-year-old Sarawak Plaza, which remained a premier shopping centre.

To a question, Talib said it might be better to carry out refurbishment work during the present economic slowdown as it would cost less and we do not lose business.

He added that the money allocated for the refurbishment projects was internally generated.

The Star Online
22/12/2008