RANKINGS have now become commonplace. Countries are being benchmarked based on the level of transparency and the integrity of their institutions. In the economic sphere, the competitiveness of countries is evaluated on an annual basis by a number of institutions. These rankings have played a role in shaping people’s perceptions about countries and institutions. They may not be entirely accurate, but many take heed of the assessments. And, even if they do not provide complete assessments, they do influence decision-making. Each year, the Ministry of International Trade and Industry (Miti) monitors the results of three major international reports on countries’ competitiveness, namely the World Competitiveness Yearbook (WCY) 2010 by the Institute of Management Development (IMD), the Global Competitiveness Report (GCR) 2010-2011 by the World Economic Forum (WEF) and the Doing Business (DB) Report by the World Bank. Many parties may not agree with the criteria or the scores...

International Trade and Industry Minister, Y.B. Dato’ Sri Mustapa Mohamed, will lead a trade and investment delegation to the United States covering Atlanta, Philadelphia and Washington DC from September 17 to 24, 2010 to bolster bilateral economic and trade relations. He will also attend the Global Services Summit 2010 in Washington DC where he will be among panellists for the Expanding Services Trade and Investment: A Vision for the Asia-Pacific forum. “This mission marks the government’s continuing efforts to draw more foreign investment from the US. We hope that through such programmes, we can attract more American investors and industry players into Malaysia and boost two-way trade relations,” Dato’ Sri Mustapa said. “This time around, we will focus on investments from high-technology sectors which have the potential to generate more job opportunities and at the same time create a higher-valued ’spin-off’ effect within the industry.”  

Highlights of the MITI Weekly Bulletin, Vol. 110 include: Global Competitiveness Report 2010-2011 The Global Competitiveness Report (GCR) 2010-2011 by the World Economic Forum (WEF) based in Geneva, Switzerland covers 139 countries (GCR 2009-2010: 133 countries). GCR uses 30% statistical data (32 criteria) and 70% survey data (79 criteria) from its Executive Opinion Survey. Malaysia is ranked at the 26th position. Micro-Financing for SMEs Micro-finance is a proven tool for fighting poverty on a large scale. It provides small loans, also known as micro-loans, to start or expand small and self-sufficient businesses. Unlike commercial loans, no collateral is required for a micro-loan which is usually repaid within six months to a year. Micro-financing is an important mechanism for micro enterprises to achieve economic balance. The Malaysian Standard on Globally Harmonised System (GHS) for Classification and Labelling of Chemicals (MS 1804:2008) The Malaysian Standard on GHS...

MITI Minister attended the Forbes Global CEO Conference 2010 in Sydney, Australia (28-29 September 2010). The conference gathers some of the world’s most successful tycoons, entrepreneurs and global CEO’s under one roof. The host, media mogul Steve Forbes, interviewed Minister and touched on Malaysia’s economic prospects, investment climate and what delegates can look forward in the next conference which will be held in Kuala Lumpur next year. Earlier, the Minister briefed members of the Autralia-Malaysia Business Council about investment opportunities in Malaysia. Representatives from Australian companies were also present at the session. The Minister also took the opportunity to meet Malaysian businessmen and students in Australia during his visit there.

Highlights of the MITI Weekly Bulletin, Vol. 111 include: APEC Accords Priority to Human Resource Development The 5th APEC Human Resource Development Ministerial Meeting in Beijing, People’s Republic of China from 16-17 September 2010, provided the opportunity for APEC economies to discuss and exchange views on issues related to HRD such as jobless growth, persistent unemployment, under-employment and informal employment. APEC minister reiterated the need to enhance … Green Growth Legislation in the Republic Of Korea The Republic of Korea (ROK) is known to be one of the best countries in promoting green industry. It has developed a new green growth legislation called the “Framework Act on Low Carbon, Green Growth” to support its National Strategy for Green Growth. ROK strategies for its low carbon green growth include … Opportunities for Construction and Construction Related Services in Syria The Syrian Government is taking steps to tackle its real estate issues...

Highlights of the MITI Weekly Bulletin, Vol. 113 include: Malaysia - Budget Allocation for 2011 The 2011 Budget, the first budget of the 10th Malaysia Plan marks the turning point in Malaysia’s transformation process towards a developed and high-income economy based on the principles of inclusiveness and sustainability as envisaged under the New Economic Model. The Budget with the theme “Transformation Towards a Developed and High-Income Nation” is guided by four strategies. Ensuring a More Secure Trading Environment The United Nations (UN) Security Council passed a resolution in 2004 which requested member countries to establish an export control system for the purpose of non-proliferation of weapons of mass destruction. The Malaysian government’s efforts to secure trade against terrorist infiltration culminated in the Strategic Trade Act 2010 (STA). The Ministry of International Trade and Industry (MITI) is the custodian of this Act. WTO Trade Policy Review of the...

Asean Economic Community (AEC) will be established in January 2015. The establishment of the AEC will enable the 10 ASEAN member countries to work hand-in-hand in making the region a dynamic business destination. To date, 3 key agreements have been implemented to enhance free flow of goods, services and investment. ASEAN countries are working on opening up the services sector and remove barriers to allow for free flow of trade in services within the region. The article by the Secretary General of MITI, Y.Bhg. Tan Sri Abdul Rahman Mamat, sheds light on Realising ASEAN vision via AEC.

Highlights of the MITI Weekly Bulletin, Vol. 114 include: Chongqing to Become a Regional Financial Centre Chongqing, the largest municipality directly under the control of the central government of the People’s Republic of China, is set to become a regional financial centre by 2015. Currently, the Chongqing Municipal Government provides favourable local and foreign tax policies for foreign investments. Shanghai Takes Lead In E-Book Development The development of the e-Book industry in China has transformed Shanghai as a base to spearhead the development of the industry, in particular the digital content sector. Malaysian manufacturers should take full advantage of the e-Reader boom in China to launch suitable products which are competitively priced, but also feature more value-added functions for the Chinese market. Anti Dumping Duties On 23 October 2005, the Government of Malaysia imposed anti-dumping duties on imports of polyethylene terepthalate originating in or...

Program Peningkatan Kualiti Produk dan Perkhidmatan atau lebih dikenali sebagai Program Groom Big bertujuan melahirkan usahawan-usahawan Perusahaan Kecil dan Sederhana (PKS) yang berdaya saing di peringkat di peringkat domestik dan global bagi mempertingkatkan kedudukan sesebuah syarikat dari peringkat Mikro, Kecil hingga ke Sederhana yang bersedia untuk mengeksport produk-produk dan perkhidmatan ke peringkat global. Showcase Groom Big 1Malaysia Negeri Perak merupakan kesinambungan kepada Program Groom Big bagi megukuhkan segmen keusahawanan di Negeri Perak, agar berdaya saing dalam sektor - sektor utama ekonomi negara. Ianya juga bertujuan: • mempromosikan produk usahawan - usahawan di Negeri Perak • mencipta eksport - eksport baru • mewujudkan jaringan usahawan, • mengetengahkan budaya dan konsep business matching, handholding dan konsultasi perdagangan. Showcase Groom Big Negeri Perak akan dianjurkan seperti butiran berikut: Tarikh    :  05– 07 November...