Highlights of the MITI Weekly Bulletin, Vol.122 include: Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) Agreement Enters Fourth Round Of Negotiations The Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) entered its fourth round of negotiations in Auckland, New Zealand from 5-10 December 2010. Nine countries - Australia, Brunei, Chile, Malaysia, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore, United States and Viet Nam - are in negotiations to create what could be the precursor to the Free Trade Area of the Asia-Pacific (FTAAP). TPP members agreed that the APEC Summit in November 2011 remains the target date for a substantive agreement in all areas of negotiations. Progress Made in the Third Malaysia-Turkey Free Trade Agreement (FTA) Negotiations Further progress was made in the Third Round of the Malaysia-Turkey FTA negotiations held from 30 November to 2 December 2010 in Ankara, Turkey. Negotiations on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures which set out the basic rules for food safety and animal and plant health standards were...

A plan is vital for the success of any venture - more so in the business world which presents new challenges every single day! Needless to say, productivity is important to increase your competitiveness and stay ahead of the game. Did you know about the E-Z Productivity Calculator? This tool, developed by the Malaysia Productivity Corporation (MPC), can compute Productivity and Labour Cost Competitiveness of your company and give you the Added Value automatically. Just be sure to have these documents handy before you start: financial Statement (1 year)   Balance Sheets (1 year)  Profit and Loss Statement (1 year) Total number of employees during the year - this includes paid part-time & full-time, working proprietors and unpaid family members You can watch a demo of the system first…………..   Use this online calculator to access your company’s productivity performance and let us have your feedback!   

This week’s MWB shares the success story of Noraini Cookies – a Malaysian brand that has gone global.Starting off as a traditional kuih supplier for a 5-star hotel in the 1980s, today, Noraini Cookies Worldwide Sdn. Bhd. produces a wide range of cookies from chocolate chips, cornflakes and raisins, oats and walnuts, ginger and almonds to jackfruit. It has two distinctive brand of cookies - the festival cookies “Noraini’s Cookies” and the all season cookies “Good Kiss”. So, what are some of the ingredients for their success? The founder, Pn. Hjh. Noraini Hj. Ahmad, attributes her achievements to strong family support and the three basic  principles she holds on to: negotiating skills, managing capital and marketing strategy. Heading the Research & Development unit herself, the founder is also a firm believer in continuous improvement and is in constant search for breakthrough ideas to improvise her recipes. The company is also committed in ensuring the quality of...

Y.B. Dato’ Sri Mustapa Mohamed visited JF Microtechnology on 4 March 2011.  Since its establishment in 1999, JF Technology, a fully-owned subsidiary of market-listed ACE JF Technology Bhd., has become a designer, manufacturer and supplier of test probes and test sockets to the semiconductor industry worldwide.   During the visit, the Minister was informed that JF Microtechnology intends to expand its operations in Selangor with a total capital investment of RM30 million; creating 90 new employment opportunities in the field of engineering. Its focus, among others, would be on precision technology and knowledge-based industry.   After the visit, Y.B. Dato’ Sri Mustapa Mohamed announced that a total of RM4.6 billion of investments has been approved in the manufacturing sector in January 2011 involving 67 projects Domestic investors showed a keen interest by investing RM4.0 billion in 49 projects, representing 87% of the total approved investment.  The largest investment came...

The First APEC Senior Official Meeting (27 February - 12 March 2011)deliberated details of key priorities and deliverables for 2011 particularly in the areas of strengthening regional economic integration and expanding trade, promoting green growth as well as advancing good regulatory convergence and cooperation.   Market-driven innovation policies will be further developed to address the next generation trade and investment issues which include supply-chain, cloud computing business models and barriers faced by SMEs. On APEC New Strategy for Structural Reform (ANSSR), an Action Plan will be developed based on the common elements for capacity building. Possible reform priority areas for consideration include: • ease of doing business; • SMEs development; • better functioning and effectively regulated financial markets; • transparent and competitive markets; • promoting labour market opportunities; • training and education; and • promoting effective and...

APEC together with UNCTAD organised an ‘Intensive Training Course on International Agreements in the APEC Region’, from 7-11 March 2011, in Lima, Peru. The objective was to expose Government officials by providing a better understanding on the elements and latest developments regarding International Investment Agreements (IIAs). Speakers included representatives from UNCTAD, National University of Singapore and University of Mexico. Key issues discussed included:  • trends and emerging issues in considering engagement in an IIA;  • various approaches on drafting of an IIA;  • management and prevention of disputes;  • alternatives to arbitration and possibilities for amicable settlement of disputes; and  • analysis on recent treaty practices. Malaysia also participated in two sets of simulation exercises of negotiating a high-standard IIA from the perspective of a developing and developed nation. Participation in this course has provided policy makers and...

Dato’ Mukhriz Tun Mahathir, Timbalan Menteri MITI telah melancarkan ‘1Malaysia Young Entrepreneurs Challenge (1MYEC)’ pada 28 Mac 2011. Program 1MYEC anjuran Institut Keusahawanan Negara (INSKEN), bertujuan untuk membudayakan keusahawanan di kalangan pelajar institusi pengajian tinggi serta menggalakkan penyertaan mahasiswa dalam program keusahawanan. Timbalan Menteri MITI telah mengumumkan syarat dan terma baru bagi Tabung Usahawan Siswazah (TUS) yang diuruskan oleh SME Bank di mana pemohon diwajibkan mengikuti Latihan Asas Keusahawanan anjuran INSKEN. Syarat baru ini bertujuan untuk menarik minat usahawan muda menceburi bidang perniagaan. Di antara syarat-syarat baru TUS adalah: i. jumlah pembiayaan maksimum projek telah dinaikkan dari RM250,000 kepada RM500,000. Walau bagaimanapun, bagi projek pengambilalihan syarikat, jumlah pembiayaan adalah sehingga RM750,000; ii. tempoh pernafasan dipanjangkan sehingga 48 bulan berbanding 24 bulan sebelumnya; iii. tempoh pembiayaan untuk...

Y.B. Dato’ Sri Mustapa Mohamed, Minister of International Trade and Industry led a Trade and Investment Mission to Europe covering Berlin, Germany; Vienna, Austria and Paris, France from 27 March – 2 April 2011 aimed at strengthening business networking as well as promoting investment opportunities Malaysia presents. The Mission delegation comprised 26 business representatives from the public and private sectors. During his visit to Germany, Minister witnessed the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in the aviation sector. A roundtable meeting with 17 potential German investors was held on 28 March 2011 to discuss topics of interest to the German Business community include green technology and automotive policies in Malaysia, the role and functions of MIDA as a one-stop-centre for foreign investments and human resource development programmes in Malaysia for high technology industries. In his meeting with the Minister of Economy, Family and Youth of Austria, the...

APEC Business Travel Handbook is a practical tool which provides a quick reference guide to the visa and entry requirements of APEC Member Economies. It lists the basic eligibility criteria and procedures for visa applications and the terms and conditions that apply to business travelers. This information is provided for both short-term business visits and temporary residence for business people in APEC Member Economies. The electronic Handbook also provides contact details for the embassies, consulates and other visa-issuing agencies of each member economy. Information on the APEC Business Travel Handbook can be accessed via APEC Official website at www. apec.org