KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 18: The success of small and medium enterprises (SMEs) is crucial for ASEAN to be truly integrated, says Deputy Minister of International Trade and Industry Datuk Lee Chee Leong.

Lee said resilient SMEs should start to have a global mind-set.

“They should explore opportunities from liberalisation under the ASEAN Economic Community and expand their trade and investments,” he said at the launch of I-Score credit risk management tool.

The I-Score is co-developed by Rating Agency Malaysia Credit Info Sdn Bhd (RAMCI) with global information services company, Experian plc.

The tool, designed for financial institutions, business corporations and consumers, provides a comprehensive credit report ranking consumers, business partners and potential investors for credit risk.

Lee said SMEs could now use the tool to assess the strategies for their businesses if they intended to expand them.

“This will help address the challenges faced by SMEs to obtain...

Asean countries are on track for progressive liberalisation of trade within the region, covering 128 sub-sectors via the Asean Framework Agreement on Services (AFAS).

The liberalisation will boost the services sector’s contribution to the region’s gross domestic product (GDP) from the current 40% to 50%, said International Trade and Industry Minister Datuk Seri Mustapa Mohamed.

He said AFAS will be a platform for services providers to take advantage of the market openings as well as to benefit from new ideas and processes arising out of the opening of the services sector.

Efforts has been put into concluding the AFAS 10th package by year-end to provide wider and better opportunities for members in tapping the benefits of the services sector,” he said in his opening address at the inaugural Asean Service Provider Confederation (ASPC) meeting yesterday.

His speech was read by Malaysia External Trade Development Corp (Matrade) CEO Datuk Dzulkifli Mahmud. Last year, Asean...

KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 8 (Bernama) — The Ministry of International Trade and Industry (MITI) has teamed up with Singapore Corp Enterprise (SCE) to conduct a talent development programme for officers from MITI and its agencies.

Deputy Minister, Datuk Ahmad Maslan, said the eight-month programme, from September 2015 to April 2016, was the first of its kind for Malaysian civil service and would involve 122 officers.

“The platform, called the Economic Policy Leaders programme, would enhance the professionalism and charisma of the officers,” he said after the signing of the memorandum of understanding between MITI Deputy Secretary-General, Datuk Jayasiri Jayasena, and SCE Chief Executive Officer, Kong Wy Mun, here today.

Also present was Temasek Foundation Chief Executive Officer, Benedict Cheong.

Ahmad said the programme would be held in Malaysia and will be followed by a learning visit to Iskandar, Johor and Singapore.

The cost of approximately RM750,927 would be equally funded...

BEIJING, Sept 9 (Bernama) — The Malaysian Investment Development Authority (MIDA) on Tuesday opened its third office in China to further woo investments.

Malaysian Minister of International Trade and Industry, Mustapa Mohamed, said the office, after Shanghai and Guangzhou, was to serve and facilitate Chinese investors amid their strong interests to invest in Malaysia.

He said the office would enhance MIDA’s efforts to attract Chinese companies to invest in Malaysia as well as act as a resources centre for interested companies looking for business and investment opportunities in Malaysia.

“China is a very important country for Malaysia and we hope the new office would further attract their investments,” he told reporters after officiating MIDA’s office here Tuesday.

Mustapa said the Chinese companies had strong presence in Malaysia’s construction industry as well as in property, manufacturing, services and ports.

He said Malaysia had seen an increase in investments...

PUTRAJAYA, Aug 11 (Bernama) — Enhancement of management skills, niche technology and effective organisation, are the strategic tools identified to improve labour productivity, said Second Finance Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Husni Hanadzlah.

He said as labour productivity is expected to grow 3.7 per cent annually to RM92,300 by 2020, Malaysia also needs to improve and increase workers’ skills.

“The required advanced skills and technology is the best competitive edge for economies to move up the value chain and beyond the simple production processes and products,” he added.

Ahmad Husni told the media this after chairing the 2016 Budget Focus Group on “Improving Labour Productivity: Public and Private”, here today.

“Looking back at last year’s performance, national labour productivity growth, covering both the public and private sectors, was at 3.5 per cent to RM61,708 per employee from RM60,437 in 2013,” he said.

He said by sector, construction registered the...

KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 10 (Bernama) — Foreign Direct Investments (FDI) in Malaysia from its ASEAN peers is expected to gain momentum with the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) becoming a reality from Dec 31 this year.

Minister of International Trade and Industry (MITI) Datuk Seri Mustapa Mohamed said the sustained removal of barriers among the 10-member grouping, had led to an expansion in intra-ASEAN trade and investments, from US$1.22 billion in 2000 to US$24.4 billion in 2014.

“This accounts for 17.9 per cent of the total US$136.2 billion FDI inflows into the region last year,” he told reporters at the AEC Open Day here Monday.

Mustapa said similarly, intra-ASEAN trade accounted for 24 per cent of the total ASEAN trade or US$608 billion.

Meanwhile, ASEAN’s per capita income now stands at US$4,130 with intra-ASEAN trade expected to grow to 30 per cent by 2020.

He also said being the ASEAN Chairman this year, Malaysia wants to prepare local small and medium enterprises...

KUALA LUMPUR, 4 Ogos (Bernama) — Malaysia akan memperhebat penerokaan pasaran Turki susulan pelaksanaan Perjanjian Perdagangan Bebas Malaysia-Turki (MTFTA) yang dimeterai pada Sabtu, kata Menteri Perdagangan Antarabangsa dan Industri Datuk Seri Mustapa Mohamed.

Beliau berkata Malaysia akan mempromosikan pelaburan dan perkhidmatan di Turki, selain perdagangan.

“Ia pengubah permainan dan satu cara yang wajar dilakukan, terutamanya apabila mengambil kira Malaysia mempunyai pelaburan bernilai US$2 bilion (US$1 =RM3.85) di Turki.

“(Pelaburan) Kita agak besar di Turki menerusi Khazanah Nasional Bhd dan Malaysia Airports Holdings Bhd (MAHB),” katanya kepada pemberita selepas menerima kunjungan hormat Menteri Luar Turki, Mevlut Cavusoglu di pejabatnya, di sini hari ini.

Khazanah Nasional memegang 75 peratus kepentingan dalam rangkaian hospital terbesar Turki manakala MAHB mengambil alih operasi Lapangan Terbang Antarabangsa Sabiha Gokcen Istanbul dan LGM Havalimani Isletmeleri...