Oleh/By		:	DATO' SERI DR. MAHATHIR BIN MOHAMAD 
Tempat/Venue 	: 	PETALING JAYA, SELANGOR DARUL EHSAN 
Tarikh/Date 	: 	17/09/97 
Tajuk/Title  	: 	THE OFFICIAL OPENING OF THE SUNWAY 
			LAGOON RESORT HOTEL 


     
  1.   I  would  like  to  thank the  Sungei  Way  Group  for
  inviting  me here tonight to officiate the opening  of  the
  Sunway Lagoon Resort Hotel.
  
  2.    I understand that this Resort is an emulation of  the
  West  Edmonton  Mall  in  Canada and  has  taken  the  best
  features  of Suncity of South Africa, while flavoured  with
  local architecture, colour and culture.
  
  3.    The  construction of Resort Hotels such  as  this  is
  consistent  with the Government's policy to  encourage  the
  growth  of  foreign  and  local  tourism.   Currently,  the
  tourism  industry  is the nation's second  largest  foreign
  exchange  earner,  after  the manufacturing  sector.   This
  dynamics  of  working hand-in-hand between the  public  and
  the  private  sector is most welcome by the  government  as
  this  would enable the private sector to generate  profits,
  while at the same time create other spin-off effects.
  
  4.    It  is in this context that world class hotels,  such
  as  the  Sunway Lagoon Resort Hotel, can play a significant
  role  in helping the Government put Malaysia on the tourism
  and business world map.
  
  5.    The  development of this hotel augurs  well  for  the
  forthcoming  Commonwealth Games which Malaysia is  hosting.
  I   also   understand  that  the  Bowling  event   of   the
  Commonwealth  Games  will be held at the  adjacent  Pyramid
  Shopping  Mall.  This will certainly attract many  visitors
  to  the  country,  who  will  seek  accommodation  at  this
  beautiful  hotel.   I  am confident  that  the  hotel  will
  continue  to execute its professional competence  which  it
  has  demonstrated during the ASEAN Ministerial Meeting last
  month.
  
  6.    In  the Government's attempt to encourage the private
  sector  to  contribute to the development of  the  country,
  pragmatic  policies  have  been designed  to  support  mega
  tourism-related  projects initiated by  private  companies.
  We  acknowledge  their contribution, and we  encourage  the
  private   sector   by   granting   many   incentives    and
  certification  and approval from the Ministry  of  Culture,
  Arts and Tourism.
  
  7.    In  addition,  the Government is  prepared  to  allow
  incentives  such  as  Investment Tax  Allowance  under  the
  Promotion  Investment Act (1986), that  would  cushion  the
  initial  difficulties arising from  such  projects  in  the
  early  years of their operations.  This incentive has  been
  extended to Sunway Lagoon Resort Hotel, which has no  doubt
  benefitted from Government's assistance.
  
  8.    Apart from drawing the tourist crowds to Malaysia, it
  is  also our hope that Malaysia will be known as the  venue
  for  world  class conventions and exhibitions.  The  Sunway
  Lagoon  Resort Hotel has invested a total of RM320  million
  into  building this 439-room hotel, which is equipped  with
  the  latest  state-of-the-art facilities,  built  with  the
  most  advanced  technology,  with  the  largest  pillarless
  convention  and  exhibition hall  in  this  region.  It  is
  therefore  ideally suited for international events  of  any
  kind.   This  is in keeping with the Government's  call  to
  promote  Malaysia  as a preferred venue  for  international
  conventions  and  exhibitions.   The  development  of  this
  facility  will  no  doubt  provide  an  impetus  for  other
  hoteliers  and  conventioneers to become more  competitive,
  thereby  elevating  the standards of  services  across  the
  industry.
  
  9.    In  terms  of strategic location, the  Sunway  Lagoon
  Resort  Hotel  is well placed near the new growth  centres,
  such  as the Commonwealth Games Village, Putrajaya and  the
  new  Kuala  Lumpur International Airport in Sepang.   These
  growth  centres will be linked to Subang and Bandar  Sunway
  through  an  extensive  network  of  expressways,  electric
  trains,  and   the  innovative  monorails  that  are  being
  constructed  privately  within  Bandar  Sunway.   All  this
  infrastructure  will  ease  public  accessibility  to   the
  various   places, ensuring that all the strategic locations
  are well connected with the Multimedia Super Corridor.   In
  fact,  Sunway City is separated from the MSC  only  by  the
  new  Shah  Alam  Expressway.  One day, the MSC  could  even
  include Sunway City and this hotel.
  
  10.   This  Lagoon  Hotel  is  indeed  poised  to  play   a
  significant   role   in  attracting   both   national   and
  international  visitors  and  investors  to   the   region.
  Together with its related attractions -- the Sunway  Lagoon
  Theme  Park  and  the Sunway Pyramid Shopping  Mall,  I  am
  confident  that  the ambience, the assorted  themed  suites
  and other spectacular features, will make this township  of
  Sunway  City a truly unique experience in this part of  the
  world.
  
  11.   I wish to congratulate Tan Sri Jeffrey Cheah for  his
  leadership  in  the  field  of  hospitality  and   property
  development.   This success could only have  been  achieved
  from  the  pursuit  of your vision, the  tenacity  of  your
  people  and  your determination to grow with and contribute
  to the nation's progress.
  
  12.   I  now have much pleasure to declare officially  open
  the Sunway Lagoon Resort Hotel.