The 21st ASEAN Economic Ministers’ Retreat, which will be held in Kota Baharu, Kelantan from February 28 to March 1, will focus on ensuring all core economic integration measures stipulated in the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) blueprint are realized, according to Malaysia’s Ministry of International Trade and Industry.

 

The AEC is scheduled to come into effect by December 31 this year. Photo: dangcongsan.vn The AEC is scheduled to come into effect by December 31 this year, intending to create a single market and production base in the region to further bolster ASEAN’s progress and prosperity. Recommendations from the private sector and concerns over a perceived increase in non-tariff barriers to trade in the region will also be main discussion points for the ministers. The ministers are also expected to consider and provide guidance on the draft of the Post-2015 Economic Vision and Plan for ASEAN, a critical deliverable as stakeholders expect the bloc to issue a new...

Kuala Lumpur: Projek pembangunan pelabuhan Tok Bali di Pasir Puteh, Kelantan dijangka bakal menarik pelaburan sehingga RM1 bilion dalam tempoh tiga tahun. Menteri Perdagangan Antarabangsa dan Industri (MITI), Datuk Seri Mustapa Mohamed berkata, MITI sudah meluluskan projek terbabit pada 7 Januari 2015. Katanya, setakat ini terdapat kira-kira 100 syarikat yang berpotensi untuk melabur dalam projek berkenaan dan projek itu dijangka akan memberi manfaat kepada kawasan sekitarnya dan juga Kelantan secara keseluruhannya. “Tok Bali mempunyai potensi besar sebagai pangkalan untuk menyediakan perkhidmatan berkenaan kerana lokasinya strategik berikutan jaraknya ke Kawasan Pembangunan Bersama Malaysia-Thailand (MTJDA). “Tok Bali Supply Base Sdn Bhd (TBSB), pengendali pelabuhan terbabit sudah melabur sebanyak RM90 juta tahun lalu dan tahun ini dianggarkan RM100 juta akan dibelanjakan untuk pembangunan projek itu,” katanya pada sidang media di sini, semalam. Mustapa berkata, TBSB...

KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 23 (Bernama) — The Tok Bali Supply Base project in Kelantan can attract up to RM1 billion in investments within the next three years. Minister of International Trade and Industry Datuk Seri Mustapa Mohamed said the project would have a spin-off effect on the surrounding Tok Bali area and the state itself. “This is a very important project for Kelantan. This is what the Kelantanese are yearning for,” he told reporters during a briefing Monday. Mustapa said Tok Bali Supply Base Sdn Bhd (TBSB), the operator of the supply base, has invested about RM90 billion to construct it and is expected to spend an additional RM100 million this year with its partners. He said TBSB is currently in talks with a pipe specialist company to set up a pipe-coating operation at the port, with an investment of about RM340 million over the next two years. He added that the company would occupy as much as 32.37 hectares of the port land with the objective of creating a facility...

Kota Bharu: Pemukiman Menteri-Menteri Ekonomi ASEAN ke-21 yang berlangsung di sini, dijangka dapat memberi manfaat besar buat sektor ekonomi di negeri ini. Pengarah Kementerian Perdagangan Antarabangsa dan Industri (MITI) Kelantan, Azran Deraman berkata, program tiga hari yang bermula 27 Februari sehingga 1 Mac ini disertai 10 menteri ekonomi perkumpulan serantau berkenaan. “Kelantan bertuah dapat menjadi hos bagi program besar ini dan kami jangka penganjuran ini memberi manfaat dan peluang untuk Kelantan menjana ekonomi ke satu peringkat yang lebih baik. “Ia dapat memberi peluang kepada negara anggota ASEAN melabur di Kelantan. Selain itu, Kelantan sendiri dapat meneroka pasaran ASEAN yang besar, ia peluang terbaik untuk usahawan dan juga industri,” katanya kepada pemberita ketika meninjau persiapan program Pemukiman Menteri-Menteri Ekonomi ASEAN Ke-21 di sebuah hotel di sini, semalam. Azran berkata, 10 usahawan dipilih oleh MITI untuk terbabit dalam program itu yang...

Pemukiman Menteri-Menteri Ekonomi Asean ke-21 hujung minggu ini akan membincangkan kaedah memudahkan lagi perdagangan antara negara-negara Asean. Menteri Perdagangan Antarabangsa dan Industri Datuk Seri Mustapa Mohamed berkata program tersebut yang menjadi tempat percambahan minda menteri-menteri ekonomi Asean, akan mencari jalan mengurangkan karenah prosedur perdagangan supaya ia lancar dan menjimatkan masa. “Kita hendak bincang halangan-halangan perdagangan, bagaimana hendak permudahkan lagi perdagangan 2 hala selain membincangkan faedah yang bakal diperolehi. “Contohnya standard yang berlainan. Kalau kita hendak hantar barang yang sama ke pelabuhan berbeza di negara-negara Asean, ia perlu melalui beberapa prosedur dan ujian yang cukup ketat,” katanya pada sidang akhbar hari ini. Program pemukiman tersebut akan berlangsung dari 27 Februari hingga 1 Mac ini di sini. Mustapa juga berkata pemilihan Kota Baru sebagai lokasi penganjuran program itu untuk mempromosikan...

Ready to Attract Oil and Gas Players KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 23 (Bernama) — Dato’ Sri Mustapa Mohamed, Minister of International Trade and Industry today announced that Tok Bali Supply Base Sdn Bhd (TBSB) has obtained the following approvals for its operations: a. Ministry of Finance approval for its establishment of the Supply Base in Tok Bali, on 7th January 2015. b. Supply Base & Bonded Warehouse License approval under Section 65 & 65A dated 12th January 2015 from Royal Customs Department. c. ISPS certificate from Marine Department Malaysia for the period of 5 years starting from 15th January 2015 to 14th  January 2020 for bulk carrier and oil tanker facilities. d. Supply Base License for leasing and rental activities from PETRONAS dated 21st January 2015. With these approvals, TBSB is now in a position to move on and attract relevant oil & gas industry players to locate their operations in Tok Bali. Recently, TBSB signed a sub-lease and throughput agreement with Astral...

KOTA BAHARU, Feb 24 (Bernama) — The 21st ASEAN Economic Ministers’ Retreat this weekend will discuss ways to facilitate trade among the region’s member nations, said International Trade and Industry Minister Datuk Seri Mustapa Mohamed. “We want to discuss trade barriers, how to facilitate two-way trade besides the benefits to be gained. “With different standards, for example, if we want to send the same good through different ports in ASEAN countries, it has to undergo quite stringent procedures and tests,” he said at a press conference to announce the programme for the retreat to be held here on Feb 27 to March 1. Mustapa said Kota Baharu was chosen as the venue for the retreat to enable Kelantan to be promoted as a progressive trade, investment and tourism destination. “Through the programme, Kelantan will be better known and this will bring a positive impact to the state in terms of tourism, trade and investment, while opening a wider market in ASEAN countries...

KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia aims to attract investments worth RM56bil in the manufacturing sector in 2015, a modest target compared with the RM71.9bil it received last year. Minister of International Trade and Industry Minister Datuk Seri Mustapa Mohamed said the manufacturing sector has remained attractive to investors, with  approved investments in the sector surging by 38% to RM71.9bil in 2014 compared with RM52.1bil in 2013. For the services sector, excluding real estate, the government expects to attract RM64.5bil in investments this year, the minister said after revealing the country’s Investment Performance Report 2014 here today. Despite a challenging external environment this year, Mustapa said he still expects a moderate outlook for the investment climate in Malaysia. He said currently there are RM65.1bil worth of on-going projects –RM51.4bil in the manufacturing sector and RM13.7bil in the services sector. Malaysian Investment Development Authority (MIDA) Chief...

KUALA LUMPUR 26 Feb. - Asas kewangan yang kukuh dan dasar negara yang pragmatik sejak lima tahun lalu diyakini meletakkan Malaysia dalam landasan yang betul untuk menjadi sebuah negara maju menjelang 2020. Menteri di Jabatan Perdana Menteri dan Ketua Pegawai Eksekutif Unit Pengurusan Prestasi dan Pelaksanaan (PEMANDU), Datuk Seri Idris Jala berkata, sehubungan itu, negara perlu kekal fokus dalam memperkembangkan sektor-sektor ekonomi utama dan memperbaiki persekitaran perniagaan di negara ini. “Kita tidak boleh berputus asa dengan cabaran-cabaran sebaliknya meneruskan perancangan sedia ada,” katanya dalam program Rangkuman Ekonomi 2014 di sini hari ini. Yang turut hadir pada program itu ialah Menteri di Jabatan Perdana Menteri, Datuk Seri Abdul Wahid Omar dan Menteri Perdagangan Antarabangsa dan Industri, Datuk Seri Mustapa Mohamad. Tambah Idris, pertumbuhan ekonomi 2014 yang kukuh diterajui oleh aktiviti-aktiviti pelaburan swasta dalam pelbagai industri utama termasuk...