EAST COAST ECONOMIC REGION DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL ACT 2008

LAWS OF MALAYSIA ONLINE VERSION OF UPDATED TEXT OF REPRINT Act 688 EAST COAST ECONOMIC REGION DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL ACT 2008 As at 1 Januari 2024 This text is ONLY AN UPDATED TEXT of the East Coast Economic Region Development Council Act 2008 by the Attorney General’s Chambers. Unless and until reprinted pursuant to the powers of the Commissioner of Law Revision under subsection 14(1) of the Revision of Laws Act 1968 [Act 1], this text is NOT AN AUTHENTIC TEXT. 2 EAST COAST ECONOMIC REGION DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL ACT 2008 … … … 20 February 2008 Date of publication in the Gazette … … … 25 February 2008 Latest amendment made by Act A1664 which came into operation on … … … 1 January 2024 Date of Royal Assent PREVIOUS REPRINT First Reprint … … … … … 2018 3 LAWS OF MALAYSIA Act 688 EAST COAST ECONOMIC REGION DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL ACT 2008 ARRANGEMENT OF SECTIONS PART I PRELIMINARY Section 1. Short title and commencement 2. Interpretation 3. General assurance that power of State Government and other Government entities not affected 4. The East Coast Economic Region PART II THE COUNCIL 5. Establishment of Council 6. Objectives of Council 7. Functions of Council 8. Powers of Council 9. Additional functions and powers of Council 10. Membership of Council 11. Alternate member of Council 12. Council may establish committees 13. Delegation of functions and powers of Council 4 Laws Of Malaysia ACT 688 PART III CHIEF EXECUTIVE, OFFICERS AND SERVANTS OF COUNCIL Section 14. Chief Executive 15. Employment of officers and servants of Council 16. Financial assistance to officers and servants and their dependants PART IV EAST COAST ECONOMIC REGION MASTER PLAN 17. The East Coast Economic Region Master Plan 18. Consultation with State Government 19. Approval and adoption of the East Coast Economic Region Master Plan 20. Review and alteration of the East Coast Economic Region Master Plan 21. Duty to take cognisance of the East Coast Economic Region Master Plan 22. Designated strategic development PART V DIRECTION, POLICIES AND STRATEGIES FOR DEVELOPMENT IN THE EAST COAST ECONOMIC REGION 23. Responsibility of Council 24. Responsibility of Government entity PART VI COORDINATION BETWEEN GOVERNMENT ENTITIES IN THE EAST COAST ECONOMIC REGION 25. Principal coordinating agency 26. Arrangement with Government entity 27. Council may request for information from Government entity 28. Implementation and Coordination Committee East Coast Economic Region Development Council PART VII FINANCE Section 29. The Fund 30. Expenditure to be charged on the Fund 31. Authority to sanction expenditure from the Fund 32. Conservation of the Fund 33. Special fund 34. Reserve fund 35. Bank accounts 36. Power to impose fees 37. Power to borrow and raise funds 38. Investment 39. Expenditure and preparation of estimates 40. Financial year 41. Statutory Bodies (Accounts and Annual Reports) Act 1980 PART VIII OFFENCES AND PENALTIES 42. Offence for failure to disclose interest 43. Obligation of secrecy 44. Offence for giving false or misleading information 45. Offence for unauthorized modification of information in the Council’s custody 46. Offence by body corporate and employee PART IX GENERAL PROVISIONS 47. Returns, reports, accounts and information 48. Power to establish companies 49. Power to employ professionals 5 6 Laws Of Malaysia Section 50. Protection against suits and legal proceedings 51. Public Authorities Protection Act 1948 52. Public servants 53. Power to make regulations 54. Things done in anticipation of the enactment of this Act 55. Savings provisions FIRST SCHEDULE SECOND SCHEDULE THIRD SCHEDULE ACT 688 7 LAWS OF MALAYSIA Act 688 EAST COAST ECONOMIC REGION DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL ACT 2008 An Act to incorporate the East Coast Economic Region Development Council, to provide for the proper direction, policies and strategies in relation to the development within the East Coast Economic Region, to provide for coordination between Government entities in the promotion of trade, investment, tourism and development activities within the East Coast Economic Region, and to provide for matters connected therewith or ancillary thereto. [13 June 2008, P.U.(B) 244/2008] ENACTED by the Parliament of Malaysia as follows: PART I PRELIMINARY Short title and commencement 1. (1) This Act may be cited as the East Coast Economic Region Development Council Act 2008. (2) This Act comes into operation on such date as the Prime Minister may, after consultation with the State Authorities of Kelantan, Terengganu, Pahang and Johor, appoint by notification in the Gazette. Interpretation 2. In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires— 8 Laws Of Malaysia ACT 688 “member” means a member of the Council appointed under subsection 10(1) and includes an alternate member appointed under section 11; “Government entity” means— (a) the Federal Government, any State Government or local government; and (b) any ministry, department, office, agency, authority, commission, committee, board, council or other body, corporate or unincorporate, of the Federal Government, any State Government or local government, whether established under any written law or otherwise; “committee” means a committee appointed under section 12; “Implementation and Coordination Committee” means the Implementation and Coordination Committee appointed under section 28; “Chief Executive” means the Chief Executive appointed under subsection 14(1) and includes an officer directed to perform the duties of the Chief Executive under subsection 14(6); “Fund” means the East Coast Economic Region Development Fund established under section 29; “Council” means the East Coast Economic Region Development Council established under section 5; “East Coast Economic Region Master Plan” means the East Coast Economic Region Master Plan prepared pursuant to section 17 and includes any alterations to such Master Plan; “Chairman” means the Chairman of the Council appointed under paragraph 10(1)(a); “East Coast Economic Region” means the area declared under section 4. East Coast Economic Region Development Council 9 General assurance that power of State Government and other Government entities not affected 3. (1) Nothing contained in this Act shall be construed as reducing or limiting the powers, functions, rights, jurisdiction, duties and responsibilities of the States of Kelantan, Terengganu, Pahang and Johor, and any other Government entity. (2) The provisions of this Act shall be read together with any written law relating to the States of Kelantan, Terengganu, Pahang and Johor, and any other Government entity and shall not be in derogation of the powers, functions, rights, jurisdiction, duties and responsibilities conferred upon the States of Kelantan, Terengganu, Pahang and Johor, and any other Government entity under any such written law. The East Coast Economic Region 4. It is declared, for the purposes of this Act, an area that shall be collectively known as the “East Coast Economic Region” which shall comprise the States of Kelantan, Terengganu, Pahang and the Districts of Mersing and Segamat in the State of Johor. PART II THE COUNCIL Establishment of Council 5. (1) A body corporate by the name of the “East Coast Economic Region Development Council” is established. (2) The Council shall have perpetual succession and a common seal. (3) The Council may sue and be sued in its own name. 10 Laws Of Malaysia ACT 688 (4) The Council may, subject to and for the purposes of this Act, upon such terms as the Council deems fit— (a) enter into contracts; (b) acquire, purchase, take, hold and enjoy movable and immovable property of every description and to underwrite or otherwise acquire and hold any securities; and (c) convey, assign, surrender, yield up, charge, mortgage, demise, reassign, transfer, dispose of, or otherwise deal with, any movable or immovable property, including securities, or any interest vested in the Council. Objectives of Council 6. The objectives of the Council are as follows: (a) to stimulate, promote and accelerate the growth of the East Coast Economic Region in an equitable and sustainable manner; (b) to stimulate, promote and accelerate the development of the East Coast Economic Region into a world class economic region and a choice destination for investment, work and living; and (c) to ensure that social development and sustainable development are kept as priorities whilst driving economic growth in the East Coast Economic Region. Functions of Council 7. Subject to section 23, the Council shall perform the following functions: (a) to establish directions, policies, strategies and initiatives in relation to the development within the East Coast Economic East Coast Economic Region Development Council 11 Region and the implementation of the East Coast Economic Region Master Plan; (b) to promote, stimulate, facilitate, coordinate, evaluate and review any development in the East Coast Economic Region carried out by any Government entity, or body or person, whether local or foreign, and participate in the development of the East Coast Economic Region, including— (i) economic development such as tourism, and agricultural development including the modernization, diversification and commercialization of the agricultural sector; (ii) industrial and commercial development such as the oil and gas and petrochemical industry, manufacturing and other trade and higher value-added activities and new industries; (iii) social development such as public health and the development of health and medical facilities and the advancement of art, and cultural, sports and recreational activities; (iv) human resource development such as the development of public education and educational facilities, including vocational and technical institutions and centres of excellence for research, teaching and training; and (v) infrastructural development such as the development of investment and logistics centre, duty free area, residential area and public amenities, and property development; (c) to plan, phase, coordinate, and evaluate and review the activities carried out by any Government entity, or body or person, whether local or foreign, in the East Coast Economic Region which the Council thinks are of strategic 12 Laws Of Malaysia ACT 688 national importance or are in the national interest in furtherance of the objectives of the Council; (d) to implement strategies and initiatives for the development of trade and marketing in the East Coast Economic Region; (e) to provide advisory and consultancy services relating to investments or potential investments in the East Coast Economic Region including— (i) to advise any Government entity on incentives applicable to investors; (ii) to directly or indirectly approach any investor or potential investor, whether local or foreign, in order to promote private sector investment in the East Coast Economic Region; and (iii) to develop and review criteria for incentives which are directly and exclusively managed and administered by the Council as approved by the Federal Government, from time to time, to be applicable to investors in the East Coast Economic Region, and to process and evaluate the grant of such incentives to eligible investors; (f) to identify the necessary skills for the maintenance and expansion of the economy of the East Coast Economic Region and develop strategies and initiatives for ensuring that those skills are developed and maintained; (g) to integrate scientific and technological research and its commercial exploitation within the economic framework of the East Coast Economic Region; (h) to conduct inquiries, carry out surveys, and collate and analyse information, statistics and factors influencing or relevant to development, business or investment in the East Coast Economic Region, an