Iskandar Malaysia has attracted RM51bil (S$20.8 billion) of cumulative investments to date despite the global economic crisis.

Johor Mentri Besar Datuk Abdul Ghani Othman, who co-chairs Iskandar Regional Development Authority (Irda), said of the total sum, 35% had already commenced work on the ground.

Some 44,000 jobs have been created since Iskandar was launched in 2006, he told reporters at the ground-breaking ceremony of Legoland Malaysia in Medini near here on Wednesday.

The RM700mil Legoland Malay-sia on a 26ha site in the 59ha Medini North near here is the first Legoland theme park in Asia; other Legoland parks are in Bil-lund, Windsor, Deutschland and California.

April 2012 is the targeted opening date. The park will offer 40 interactive rides, shows and attractions for families with children aged between two and 12.

Also present at the event were Iskandar Investment Bhd president and chief executive officer Arlida Ariff and Legoland Develop-ment general manager John Ussher.

Ghani said of the RM51bil cu-mulative investments, 40% were from local investors and 60% were foreign direct investment (FDI) including RM2.6bil from Singapore.

"Johor has received RM8bil in FDI for this year and for 2010, we are hoping to maintain the figure or at least see some increase in the flow of FDI," said Ghani.

He said the RM8bil constituted about 20% of the total FDI received by Malaysia, adding that Johor always remained one of the country's top three destinations for FDI.

Meanwhile, incoming Irda chief executive officer Ismail Ibrahim will be taking over from Harun Johari in January 2010.