Malaysia is awaiting confirmation of a reported plan by Taiwan to build a petrochemical complex in the Southeast Asian nation and is expected to have the information by next week, a Malaysian official said.
Malaysian Deputy Minister of International Trade and Industry Mukhriz Mahathir told the -Malaysia-based Sin Chew Daily on Saturday that his ministry was trying to confirm the report through Malaysia’s representative office in Taipei.
Mukhriz said he expected a response within one or two days.
His comment came amid reports that Taiwanese investors in a long-stalled petrochemical project were mulling the possibility of moving the plant to Southeast Asia because of protests from Taiwanese environmental activists.
The Malaysian official said his ministry would need to learn more about the project before making any recommendations to Taiwanese authorities.
Mukhriz said his ministry would assess the project and if it found that it could be beneficial to Malaysia, the ministry would provide incentives.
The multibillion dollar project was initiated by Kuokuang Petrochemical Technology Co (國光石化科技), an affiliate of Taiwan’s state-run oil refiner CPC Corp, Taiwan (台灣中油), to expand oil refining capacity and the production of chemicals such as ethylene.
Critics said the plan to build the complex in the Dacheng Wetlands (大城濕地) in Changhua County would create costs that would outweigh the benefits, such as damages to the local oyster and eel-farming industries, as well as health hazards to local residents.
Meanwhile, speaking to university students, President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) said he hoped the public would pay more attention to important public policies, such as the Kuokuang project, which concerns the development of Taiwan’s petrochemical sector.
There is bound to be a clash of interests in terms of economic development and environmental protection, he said, adding that this inevitably led to a choice between two evils.
“It would be great if our economy could continue to grow while we preserve our environment, but sacrifices must be made if we cannot,” Ma said.
The government is aiming to recruit 1,096 foreign English teachers and teaching assistants this year, the Ministry of Education said yesterday. The foreign teachers would work closely with elementary and junior-high instructors to create and teach courses, ministry official Tsai Yi-ching (蔡宜靜) said. Together, they would create an immersive language environment, helping to motivate students while enhancing the skills of local teachers, she said. The ministry has since 2021 been recruiting foreign teachers through the Taiwan Foreign English Teacher Program, which offers placement, salary, housing and other benefits to eligible foreign teachers. Two centers serving northern and southern Taiwan assist in recruiting and training
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