In March 2019, the NCIA Council gave its approval for a petrochemical industrial park project to be established in Gurun, Kedah.

Known as the Kedah Eco-Innovations Park (KEIP), the project will focus on agro-based chemical products such as specialty fertilisers, single cell proteins and bioplastics, leveraging on existing feedstock sources and infrastructure while creating high-value jobs within NCER.

The proposed park’s development will be guided by the principles of innovation, sustainability and synergies, and will also take into account related aspects such as environmental, social and economic impact.

KEIP will play a role in supporting the country’s objectives, such as the national food security agenda and the promotion of environmental sustainability. It will also support the economic objectives of the Kedah state and NCER, while serving the Indonesia-Malaysia-Thailand Growth Triangle (IMT-GT) and ASEAN region.