KUCHING (June 24): The RM13.8 billion Wenan Steel project at Samalaju Industrial Park in Bintulu is now at its site preparation stage, said a statement from the Ministry of International Trade and Industry, Industrial Terminal and Entrepreneur Development (Mintred).
It said the site preparation works on 700 acres of land for Phase 1 of this project is expected to be completed by April 2022 and the construction of the factory will commence thereafter.
Due to the pandemic and the Movement Control Order (MCO), the project is facing some delay in its implementation.
“Wenan Steel targets to commence operation by end of 2024. When completed, the RM13.8 billion steel plant will be one of the major steel producers in the region,” it said in a statement following a virtual meeting on the project yesterday.

The meeting saw Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Amar Awang Tengah Ali Hasan being briefed by Wenan Steel (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd managing director Gao Wei and MCC Overseas (M) Sdn Bhd general manager Chen Qi on the latest development of the project.
Awang Tengah, who is also International Trade and Industry, Industrial Terminal and Entrepreneur Development Minister, was joined by Mintred permanent secretary Datu Liaw Soon Eng, and general manager of Bintulu Development Authority Muhamad Yakup Kari at the meeting.
According to previous news reports, the Wenan steel manufacturing facility will be the largest steel manufacturing plant in Southeast Asia once completed, and is projected to have a production capacity of ten million tonnes per annum.