Q1 2014 Approved Investments in the Manufacturing Sector Surpass Q1 2013 Record Eighty Five Per Cent of Jobs Created Are High Skilled Employment Malaysia successfully attracted a higher level of approved investments in the manufacturing sector in the first quarter (Q1) 2014 compared with the corresponding period of 2013. The country recorded RM17.1 billion of investments, an increase of 52.7% as compared with RM11.2 billion in the same period of 2013, reflecting its competitiveness as a location of choice for high value added manufacturing activities in the region. The manufacturing projects approved during the period are expected to generate about 18,677 job opportunities with major proportion of employment being in highly skilled occupations. It is encouraging to...

In response to various comments in the local media on 7 May 2014, about the steel industry, the Ministry of International Trade and Industry (MITI) wishes to clarify and clear any misconception that the reports may have generated. In 2012, MITI commissioned the Boston Consulting Group to undertake a study of the industry in order to enable the Government to take a holistic approach to overcoming the challenges faced by the industry. The Government has implemented proposals derived from the study. The proposals include measures to further enhance the competitiveness of the upstream and downstream industry, support access to key inputs for the industry, enhance the capabilities of the steel industry, improve standards & importation processes and enhance trade remedies. A fundamental proposal was for the establishment of a Malaysian Steel...

MALAYSIA EXTERNAL TRADE STATISTICS TRADE PERFORMANCE FOR THE MONTH OF MARCH 2014 AND THE PERIOD OF JANUARY-MARCH 2014 # Export Growth Sustained

Exports in March 2014 expanded by 8.4% year-on-year to RM65.03 billion andimports increased by 0.5% to RM55.43 billion from March 2013. Trade surplus increased by 96.8% to RM9.59 billion in March 2014. Malaysia’s total trade in March 2014 rose by 4.6% from a year ago to RM120.46 billion. Increases in trade were recorded with Singapore, which rose RM2.21 billion, Taiwan (↑RM1.64 billion), Australia (↑RM1.06 billion), the Netherlands (↑RM854.7 million), Hong Kong (↑RM391.6 million) and New Zealand (↑RM366.3 million). E&E Drives Exports Exports of manufactured goods was RM43.86 billion or 67.4% of total exports in March 2014, an increase of 8.5% or RM3.44 billion from March 2013. The increase in exports was contributed mainly by higher exports of electrical and electronic (E&E) products especially electronic integrated...

MEDIA RELEASE 20TH APEC MINISTERS RESPONSIBLE FOR TRADE MEETING 17 – 18 MAY 2014

Dato’ Sri Mustapa Mohamed welcomed China’s initiative to further advance APEC Leaders’ mandates on FTAAP to achieve deeper regional economic integration. Malaysia supported a study to be done as it would be a useful analytical work to evaluate not only the potential benefits, but also the impact, challenges and readiness of economies to meet the high standards envisaged in FTAAP. We are very supportive of the initiative to develop a roadmap for FTAAP and are also supportive of the decision to task officials to finalise this roadmap by the end of this year. This initiative however does not imply that negotiations on FTAAP will be launched immediately after the study is completed. APEC as a non-binding, voluntary forum will play a leadership role and provide intellectual inputs into the FTAAP process, and the FTAAP when agreed, will be pursued outside of APEC. FTAAP will not be inconsistent with Malaysia’s participation in the on-going negotiations on TPP and RCEP. On the...

Sesi padanan perniagaan dalam program SME Smart Partnership yang berlangsung selama dua hari bermula semalam disasarkan mampu menjana sehingga 800 kontrak perniagaan, membabitkan 650 syarikat dalam pelbagai sektor. Program dua hari itu antara inisiatif memperkasa ekonomi Bumiputera, seperti yang diumumkan dalam Majlis Pemerkasaan Ekonomi Bumiputera tahun lalu. Timbalan Menteri Perdagangan Antarabangsa dan Industri, Datuk Ir Hamim Samuri, berkata program membabitkan kerjasama Bank SME itu mampu mewujudkan peluang perniagaan besar bagi pasaran tempatan dan antarabangsa. Kerjasama dengan Bank SME, mengukuhkan rantaian ini, serentak dengan proses padanan perniagaan yang turut membabitkan konglomerat terkemuka. “Seperti program ini, kita ada pembeli antarabangsa iaitu sebuah syarikat yang berpangkalan di Vietnam. “Ini saya lihat agak luar biasa dan ia memberi ruang untuk PKS kita mengembangkan sayap ke luar negara,” katanya pada sidang media selepas melancarkan Program SME...

“ Malaysia Berada di Landasan Yang Tepat “ Laporan World Competitiveness Yearbook (WCY) diterbitkan oleh World Competitiveness Center (WCC) of the Institute for Management Development (IMD) yang bertempat di Lausanne, Switzerland meletakkan Malaysia di kedudukan ke-12 di kalangan 60 ekonomi.  

1) Kejayaan ini bukan dapat dicapai dengan mudah. Ini ialah hasil kerjasama semua pihak yang terlibat dalam merealisasikan program transformasi negara. Malaysia berada di tangga ke-15 tahun lepas. Peningkatan ini membuktikan kesinambungan usaha transformasi kerajaan di bawah pimpinan YAB Perdana Menteri, Dato’ Seri Mohd Najib Tun Razak, walaupun mendepani persekitaran politik yang mencabar. 2) Laporan ini terbahagi kepada 4 faktor: Prestasi Ekonomi, Kecekapan Kerajaan, Kecekapan Perniagaan dan Infrastruktur. 3) Dalam sub-faktor Ekonomi Domestik di bawah Faktor Prestasi Ekonomi bagi indikator “Daya Tahan Ekonomi kepada Kitaran adalah kukuh”, Malaysia berada di kedudukan ke-2 di...

Media Statement By Dato’ Seri Mustapa Mohamed Minister of International Trade and Industry Malaysia makes gains in the latest World Competitiveness Yearbook 2014 by the Institute for Management Development (IMD)  

The Institute for Management Development (IMD), World Competitiveness Centre, Lausanne, Switzerland in its latest report World Competitiveness Yearbook 2014 ranked Malaysia at 12th position among 60 economies. This was an improvement as Malaysia was ranked 15th in 2013. This means that Malaysia remains among the top 15 most competitive nations that include USA, Switzerland, Singapore, Hong Kong, Sweden, Germany, Canada, UAE, Denmark, Norway, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Taiwan, Netherlands and Ireland. This is our best performance in the last 4 years (2011, 16th) Malaysia continues to be ahead of United Kingdom (16th), Australia (17th), Finland (18th), New Zealand (20th), Japan (21st) and Korea (26th). A summary of Malaysia’s achievements are listed as follows: In the...

MINISTRY OF INTERNATIONAL TRADE AND INDUSTRY, MALAYSIA MEDIA STATEMENT WORLD ECONOMIC FORUM (WEF) EAST ASIA 2014 AND TRADE & INVESTMENT MISSION TO MANILA, THE PHILIPPINES, 21 – 23 MAY 2014

YB Dato? Sri Mustapa Mohamed, Minister of International Trade and Industry will participate in the World Economic Forum (WEF) on East Asia in Manila and lead a Trade and Investment Mission to the Philippines from 21st to 23rd of May 2014. The WEF is an independent international organization based in Switzerland that is committed to improving the state of the world by engaging business, politician, academic and other leaders of society to shape global, regional and industry agendas and issues. The WEF organises the highly successful WEF Annual Forum in Davos, Switzerland in January every year. The WEF East Asia Forum is a regional extension of the WEF Annual Forum. The first WEF East Asia was held 23 years ago. Manila is hosting this event for the first time. The events in World Economic...

YB MENTERI’S SESSION WITH FOREIGN MISSIONS AND BUSINESS COUNCILS 20 MARCH 2014 YB Dato ‘ Sri Mustapa Mohamed, Minister of International Trade and Industry hosted a special Session with Foreign Missions and Business Councils on 20th March 2014 at the MATRADE Exhibition & Convention Centre. This is the 5th year MITI is organizing such a Session. It is part of MITI’s regular and continuous engagements with foreign missions and the international business communities based in Malaysia to provide updates on Malaysia’s Economic Outlook, trade and investment developments and MITI’s strategic priorities. This year’s Session included a Panel Discussion where some Ambassadors and Business Councils were invited to share their views and perspectives on the global economic outlook for 2014 as well as to seek views and ideas on how MITI can be more effective in improving and enhancing bilateral economic relations. A total of 200 officials comprising Ambassadors/High Commissioners,...