ALOR SETAR, Nov 3 — The Kota Perdana Special Border Economic Zone (SBEZ) development project in Bukit Kayu Hitam, will be able to generate revenue within a short time, said Kedah Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Mukhriz Mahathir.

Mukhriz said the state government had sought an allocation for the development of the truck depot through the Northern Corridor Implementation Authority (NCIA) and was grateful that RM25 million would be allocated specifically for the SBEZ to develop Kedah as a logistic hub.

"As we all know, the Kota Perdana SBEZ is very suitable for handling containers from Thailand so if we work on the project with the allocation as planned, I am confident it will contribute to the state revenue,” he told reporters after the launch of the World Town Planning Day 2018 here, today.

Meanwhile, he said the state government was keen on developing tourism and 50 per cent of the travel tax collection channelled back to the state government would be fully utilised for various activities to strengthen the sector.

"All the while 100 per cent of the tourism tax proceeds had been given to the federal government so we were not encouraged to organise activities at the state level.

"But now with the share of 50 per cent of the tax collection, we can organise promotional activities and in this way I feel both the federal and state governments will be able to earn more revenue (from the tourism sector),” Mukhriz said.

Finance Minister Lim Guan Eng in tabling Budget 2019 in the Dewan Rakyat yesterday said the federal government would share 50 per cent of the proceeds on the tourism tax with the state governments to intensify tourism activities

According to Lim, the move will enable the state governments to receive additional revenue, which was estimated at RM50 million on aggregate. — Bernama