14/2/06 BANDA ACEH (Bernama) -- The Johor government plans to help develop an oil palm plantation and a fishing port in Aceh.

Menteri Besar Datuk Abdul Ghani Othman said the oil palm plantation sector had bright potential in Aceh due to its vast lands and a group of entrepreneurs would be sent there next month to look into the possibility of tapping the opportunity.

"This will be the first time the Johor government is investing in Aceh, besides the oil palm plantations operated by Johor Corporation (JCorp) in Kalimantan, Palembang and Sumatra.

"We will use JCorp's experience to help in this development project," he told reporters after opening the Johor Orphanage in Anjun Tjeumpet, Darul Imarah, Aceh Besar, over the weekend.

The Johor government would also study the possibility of participating the development of the Lampulo fishing port into a productive fisheries centre in this region, Abdul Ghani said.

"The plan to develop the port requires expertise and we also have to see the size of catch landed in the port so that it can act as a productive fish distribution hub," he said.

-- BERNAMA