KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 5 — The RM247.8 million Tanjung Bako Fishery Complex in Sarawak has the potential to be the leading hub in South-east Asia when fully completed by next year.

But Sarawak Deputy Chief minister Tan Sri Dr James Jemut Masing also cautioned that the complex, built by the Fisheries Development Authority of Malaysia (LKIM) and scheduled for completion by next July, might become a "white elephant” if implemented improperly, The Borneo Post reported today.

"If done properly, this facility will become an iconic feature as far as fisheries industry is concerned in Sarawak. I was told that the facility would be the biggest in Malaysia and could be the biggest with most comprehensive facilities in the Asean region," he was quoted saying.

Masing also said that the fishery complex would be built according to European Union (EU) standards, noting that this will allow Sarawak to tap into the EU market.

"It means the seafood processed in this facility can be exported to the European market which is very stringent and we must fulfil all the criteria in order to tap into the export market.

"Unless these steps are taken seriously, this facility will not be fully utilised and there is a good possibility that LKIM Tanjung Bako Fishing Complex will become a ‘white elephant’. That is the last thing we want to happen,” he said.

He shared LKIM’s dreams of turning this fishery complex into Sarawak's "Fishermen City" akin to the port city of Fremantle in Australia's Perth, noting that its proximity to the city would help the planned businesses there.

"It will include seafood restaurants, fishing village and other fish related activities. This will add excitement and attractions to this development. We can do that and be the first of its kind…real comprehensive fishing village in Malaysia,” he was quoted saying yesterday by local daily The Borneo Post.

Fremantle is 30 minutes away from Perth city in Western Australia.

According to The Borneo Post, the fishery complex project on 42.5 acres of land has two phases, with work initiated in July 2014 and with 93.5 per cent of the first phase already done as of this September 25. This means that the work progress is 13 per cent or 120 days ahead of the project schedule.

The paper said the first phase would cover buildings covering facilities such as marketing hall, admin block, net loft, fish box storage, canteen, fishermen market, multipurpose hall, surau and fuel farm; and jetties and berthing facilities.

Under the second phase, facilities such as seafood restaurants, hostel, shipyard and syncrolift, workshops, processing plant, wholesaler market and ice block factory will be built, it said.

Masing also said that all private and illegal jetties will be shut down and local fishermen will have to unload their catch at the Tanjung Bako Fishery Complex when it is operational.