Highlights of the MITI Weekly Bulletin, Vol. 119 include: MoU between Malaysia and the Republic of Korea on Origin Certification and Verification The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the Government of Malaysia and the Republic of Korea on Governing Mutual Administrative Assistance and Cooperation in Origin Certification and Verification under the Agreement on Trade in Goods was signed on 15 November 2010. Malaysia-Korea will devise new strategies to double trade in the next few years. MIM-MPC Malaysian Management Capability Index 2010 The Malaysia Institute of Management - Malaysia Productivity Corporation (MIM-MPC) Malaysian Management Capability Index (MCI) 2010 Report was launched on 27 October 2010. The Study produced the overall index for Malaysian management capability and the index for the individual organisation’s management capability. Findings of the MCI 2010 Research Study suggest that Malaysians have fared well and are moving towards achieving...

The Malaysia-International Chinese Business Forum (MICBF), held from 1-3 December with the theme “Forging Connectivity, Sharing Prosperity”, attracted more than 700 local and foreign business leaders. The main objectives of MICBF were to: • promote Malaysia as the preferred destination for foreign investment; and • facilitate investment partnership in promoted activities and projects. MITI Minsiter officiated the forum and led a special dialogue session with participants from China, Hong Kong, Taiwan and Singapore. It must be noted that Malaysia’s trade with these four economies amounted to US$92.6 billion in 2009 , making up one third of the country’s total trade . Among the issues discussed include improving the implementation of  Malaysian foreign labour policy, visas for expatriates and foreign professionals and investment in Terengganu and East Malaysia. The outcome of the forum also suggested that the...

The UNCTAD Global Investment Trends Monitor: Global And Regional FDI Trends in 2010 report records an impressive 409.7 % FDI growth in Malaysia - USD7 billion FDI inflow in 2010, compared with USD1.4 billion in 2009; which is also the  highest among the 153 economies surveyed by UNCTAD. The world FDI inflow in 2010 stood at USD 1.12 trillion. These figures are reflective of the increasing investor confidence in Malaysia and the successful implementation of the economic transformation and reform programmes, contained in the New Economic Model. Investments in the manufacturing sector also increased from RM32.6billion in 2009 to RM47.2 billion in 2010. It must also be noted that the local bourse hit the highest mark on 7 January 2011 at 1,572.21 points.     MITI has also established an Investment Committee, co-chaired by Y.B. Dato’ Sri Mustapa Mohamed and  YB Senator Dato’ Seri Idris Jala, CEO ofPEMANDU, to monitor, address and resolve cross-cutting investment-related...

MITI Minister, YB Dato’ Sri Mustapa Mohamed, in an article in the New Straits Times  today, states that Malaysia has gained investor confidence. This article is a follow-up to our recent posting on the UNCTAD Global Investment Trends Monitor 2010 report. “We have taken a big stride to regain our growth momentum by closing the gap between the pre-financial crisis investment and trade levels. Malaysia’s strong rebound reflects rising investor confidence in an economy backed by healthy fundamentals” said the Minister. This achievement is also attributed to several factors and initiatives undertaken by the Government like the:

• establishment of the Special Taskforce to Facilitate Business  (PEMUDAH)
  • instrumental in cutting red tapes across the public sector and implementing a host of initiatives to improve the business environment in the country.

 

• Government Transformation Programme
  • streamline bureaucracy and improve Government’s...

Are you a Malaysian seeking investment opportunities in APEC economies? You may be interested in the 7th edition (the latest) of the Guide to Investment Regimes which provides information relating to the investment environment in APEC member countries and help you make wise investment decisions. Among the countries covered in this edition are:

Malaysia.Among information available in this edition are:

Taxation on Investment.This article is adapted from the MWB Vol.128.

Malaysia continues to attract investments in the manufacturing sector in 2011. Investments approved for the period of January-March 2011 totaled RM12.1 billion in 187 projects. Of these, 115 are new, with the remaining 72 related to expansion or diversification of operations of companies that already exist in Malaysia. These approved projects are expected to generate 25,117 employment opportunities, of which 14,294 or 56.9% will be in the managerial, technical, supervisory and skilled categories. It is pertinent to note that Malaysia remains an attractive destination for foreign investments in the manufacturing sector. During the period from January to March 2011, approved foreign investments in the manufacturing sector totaled RM4.6 billion in 94 projects. The leading sources of foreign investments in approved projects are the USA (RM967.8 million), Singapore (RM853.4 million), Republic of Korea (RM719.5 million), Japan (RM258.7 million) and Hong Kong (RM180.0 million). These...

Big Sky, MT – Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) ministers met today on the margins of the APEC Ministers Responsible for Trade meeting to take stock of progress made so far and to consider the path forward as they seek to conclude a high-standard, regional trade agreement. Joining the meeting were Australian Minister for Trade Craig Emerson, Bruneian Second Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade Pehin Lim Jock Seng, Chilean Vice Minister of Trade Jorge Bunster, Malaysian Secretary General for International Trade and Industry Rebecca Fatima Sta. Maria, New Zealand Minister of Trade Tim Groser, Peruvian Minister of Foreign Trade and Tourism Eduardo Ferreyros Kuppers, Singaporean Permanent Secretary for Trade and Industry Ow Foong Pheng, U.S. Trade Representative Ron Kirk, and Vietnamese Minister of Planning and Investment Vo Hong Phuc. The ministers discussed the progress so far after six rounds of negotiations and were pleased with the steady and solid progress to date in this...

The Institute for Management Development (IMD), based in Lausanne, Switzerland, issued its World Competitiveness Yearbook 2011 Report (WCY2011) yesterday, reporting that Malaysia’s ranking among 59 economies has declined from 10thposition in 2010 to 16th position this year. The Malaysian Government has embarked on a number of initiatives to enhance competitiveness. The Government Transformation Programme (GTP) has addressed fundamental nationwide changes through 6 national key result areas (NKRAs) (Reducing Crime, Fighting Corruption, Improving Student Outcomes, Raising Living Standards of Low-Income Households, Improving Rural basic Infrastructure, Improving Urban Public Transport). Subsequent to that in October 2010, the Economic Transformation Programme (ETP) has prioritized 11 sectors of National Key Economic Areas (NKEAs) and the Greater KL Project. The ETP has identified a total of 131 Entry Point Projects (EPP) with a total investment value of RM794.5 billion as part of...

The Trade and Investment Mission to San Jose, USA was held on 22 and 23 May 2011 in conjunction with the official visit by YAB Dato’ Sri Najib Tun Razak to the United States of America from 17-21 May 2011. San Jose, known as the Silicon Valley of the USA saw Malaysia’s successful two-day programme led by MIDA in cooperation with Multimedia Development Corporation (MDeC). At the Roundtable Meeting, Malaysia’s investment opportunities in the Economic Transformation Programme (ETP) and specific interests in projects under the Entry Point Projects (EPPs) were promoted. The meeting was also used as a platform for Malaysia to update the status on renewable energy policy, broadband developments, IPR regime and prospects of the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) and other Malaysian FTAs as an advantage to enter third markets. Feedback on the key concerns of the potential US investors were also gathered with one common issue identified on qualified human capital. During the Innovative...

Kementerian Perdagangan Antarabangsa dan Industri (MITI) dengan kerjasama Multimedia Development Corporation (MDeC) telah menganjurkan Program I’m Setpada 24 Mei 2011 bertempat di Dewan Serbaguna, Menara Usahawan, MITI Putrajaya. Majlis pelancaran telah disempurnakan oleh YBhg Dato’ Abdul Ghafar Musa, Pengarah Kanan, Bahagian Pembangunan Keusahawanan (BPU), MITI. Objektif program ini adalah untuk melahirkan perunding perniagaan yang terdiri daripada kalangan graduan yang akan memberikan perkhidmatan Book Keepingkepada 600 usahawan mikro dan kecil bumiputera selama setahun. Program I’m Set ini dikhususkan kepada para usahawan daripada program MITI seperti usahawan daripada Program Groom Big, Satu Daerah Satu Industri (SDSI), Program Pusat Pengumpulan dan Pemasaran Produk Usahawan (4PU) serta usahawan dari Persatuan/ Dewan Perniagaan. Seramai 300 orang usahawan bumiputera telah menghadiri majlis ini. Di samping itu, MITI juga telah berkerjasama dengan Iskandar Malaysia...