Kota Perdana : Asean Industrial Metropolis of the 21st Century
The Kota Perdana ASEAN Metropolis Free Trade Zone (Bukit Kayu Hitam, Kedah) promoted the concept of a ‘special economic zone’ for the border region between Thailand and Malaysia.
TAK cast the vision for Kota Perdana ASEAN Metropolis FTZ in 1999 at a time when many others felt its location was too remote and the project impossible to implement. Today, the hub is a flagship company under the strategic partner of the Ministry of Finance, is part of One Belt One Road and the region is set to undergo a major surge in economic activities as a result of the cross-border trade and economic activities stimulated by this FTZ.
Despite its scale, the model for Kota Perdana ASEAN Metropolis FTZ can be replicated across many border cities sites, promoting similar economic benefits and stimulating mutual trust between neighbouring centres.
Kota Perdana is an 8,800-acre development at Bukit Kayu Hitam, bordering Thailand and Malaysia. It was planned to be the first of its kind Free Trade Zone in ASEAN. The master plan included a new Custom Immigration and Quarantine complex to assess and manage infectious disease entering the area through transportation channels. It also included a Duty Free Complex which highlighted the integration of commerce and tourism and the opportunities border regions can capitalize upon. These elements are part of an 80-acre site intent on capturing cross-border business and leisure activities.