KUANTAN - Pahang has risen from among the country's three lowest-ranked states to fourth place in terms of Gross Domestic Product (GDP), demonstrating its ability to drive economic growth.
Pahang Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Wan Rosdy Wan Ismail said the achievement reflected positive economic developments in the state, driven by increased economic activity, tourist arrivals and annual investment inflows.
He said Pahang now ranks behind Penang, Selangor and Johor, recording GDP growth of 5.3 per cent, above the national rate of 5.1 per cent.
"Among all the states in Malaysia, Pahang ranks fourth. This was announced just recently. Penang is first, followed by Selangor, Johor and Pahang.
"Pahang's growth rate of 5.3 per cent exceeds the national rate of 5.1 per cent," he said at the 'Sinar Harian People's Town Hall programme with the Pahang Menteri Besar', held at Dewan Jubli Perak Sultan Haji Ahmad Shah here on Monday.
Wan Rosdy said the achievement was particularly significant given that Pahang did not enjoy the same advantages as industrialised states such as Penang and Selangor.
"Penang and Selangor are industrial states. Even when I was studying, Penang was already an industrial state. Johor has Singapore, while Pahang has nothing," he said.
However, he noted that Pahang had climbed from among the three lowest-ranked states to become the country's fourth-highest state in terms of GDP.
He said Pahang's economic potential was expected to continue growing through several strategic developments, including a planned aerospace city that would serve as a new driver of economic growth.
The project is estimated to cost between RM30 billion and RM40 billion to develop, covering approximately 10,000 hectares and potentially creating 12,000 jobs upon completion, he said.
Meanwhile, the expansion of Kuantan Port is also expected to enhance Pahang's appeal as an investment destination, particularly by reducing cargo transportation time and costs.
Wan Rosdy said the port expansion was expected to create more opportunities for investors to establish economic activities in the state.
"With the expansion of the Kuantan Port Authority, I believe more investors will come to Pahang because it will save them time and costs," he said.
He added that aviation infrastructure development was also a key focus of the planned aerospace city, including a 4.1-kilometre airport runway which, according to his statement, would be 100 metres longer than the runway at Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA).
Wan Rosdy expressed confidence that these economic and infrastructure developments could strengthen Pahang's competitiveness over the next decade.
"Insya Allah, within the next 10 years, Pahang may be able to overtake Selangor and Penang," he said.