This is an excerpt of the opening address delivered by International Trade and Industry Minister Datuk Seri Mustapa Mohamed at the United Kingdom & Eire Council of Malaysian Students’ Projek Amanat Negara Conference in London on Saturday WHEN  Datuk Seri Najib  Razak assumed office as the sixth prime minister, he recognised that the days of “business as usual” for the government of Malaysia were over. Malaysians were now expecting more from their government. They wanted higher standards of transparency and accountability, as well as better governance and efficiency. The government had to become more responsive to the people’s needs.Clearly, there was a need to redefine the role of government and how it carried out its responsibilities to meet the ever-increasing expectations. It must be said that Najib embodied this transformation in the way he went about his business. He immediately went about engaging the newly-resurgent social media by organising events based...

Passenger cars prices in Malaysia have always been perceived to be higher than those sold in the neighbouring ASEAN countries. “Undeniably, at a first glance of the sales prices comparisons of popular models the claim appeared to be true, except when compared to prices in Singapore, said Madani Sahari, CEO of the Malaysia Automotive Institute (MAI)” Madani further elaborated that MAI has done comparative analysis of these popular models within the ASEAN countries. The price of Honda City and Toyota Vios of the 1500cc segment sold in Thailand are the cheapest in ASEAN, lower by 40% on average of the sales price in Malaysia. Similarly, the prices of these two marques in Philippines, Indonesia and Vietnam are also lower by 32%, 2% and 1.8% on average respectively. Within the 1800 cc segment, the price of Honda Civic cheapest in Philippines, lower by 43%, while the prices of the model in Thailand and Vietnam are lower by 35% and 5% on average respectively. However, the price of...

ON Feb 26, International Trade and Industry Minister Datuk Seri Mustapa Mohamed will meet with his Asean counterparts in Nay Pyi Daw, Myanmar, to discuss regional economic issues. This will be the 18th session of the Asean Economic Ministers’ (AEM) meeting, and the fact that it is being held in Myanmar is of no special significance, given that it is the country’s rotational turn. Until now, that is. Events in Myanmar have unfolded so rapidly that this meeting in Myanmar’s new capital city has now assumed a much higher profile. Myanmar is on the verge of a new political and economic beginning. Trade and investment sanctions are coming down. National reconciliation dominates domestic politics. And the conditions for the commencement of economic reconstruction appear to be falling into place. All this is good news. Myanmar is a country full of promise. It has vast reserves of natural resources and its people are hardworking and capable....

The First Ever Initiative to Provide a Platform to Promote Business Partnerships Among IDB Member Countries. Malaysia Partners with Islamic Development Bank Group to hold an Investment Forum in May 2012

The Malaysian Minister of International Trade and Industry Dato’ Sri Mustapa Mohamed stated today that Malaysia, in partnership with the Islamic Development Bank Group, will organize a Malaysia-IDB Group Investment Forum 2012 during the period from 9-11 May 2012 in Kuala Lumpur. Speaking to a press gathering at the IDB group Regional Office, the Minister said that the Investment Forum will provide investors and entrepreneurs from IDB member countries a platform to meet and explore cross-border business prospects and partnerships. The Prime Minister of Malaysia Dato’ Sri Mohd Najib Tun Abdul Razak is scheduled to inaugurate the Forum and deliver his keynote address, and launch the Investment Forum at the opening ceremony on May 10. The Prime Minister will also launch...

The Deputy Minister of International Trade and Industry, Y.B. Dato’ Mukhriz Mahathir is leading a Trade and Investment Mission to Kyoto and Nagoya, Japan from 23-25 April 2012. The Deputy Minister accompanied by Government Officials, State Government Representatives and a business delegation. The objectives of the mission are to follow up to the Trade and Investment Mission to Japan in July 2011 and Working Visit to Japan on 11-15 December 2011; promote Malaysia as the preferred investment destination in South East Asia; and firm-up business collaboration opportunities in sectors such as green technology, high-tech capital industry, biotechnology, advanced electronics and automotive industry . P rogrammes arranged for the mission include meetings with Japanese companies, Business Seminars and factory visits. The Deputy Minister will also be leading Malaysia at the ASEAN Economic Ministers’ Roadshow to Japan which will be held from 25-28 April 2012 in Sendai and Tokyo, Japan. The...

The Geneva based non-profit foundation, World Economic Forum, today released the fourth edition of its Global Enabling Trade Report 2012entitled “Reducing Supply Chain Barriers”. The report measures the extent to which individual economies have developed institutions, policies and services facilitating free flow of goods over borders to destinations. A total of 132 countries were surveyed for the 2012 Report compared to 125 in 2010. In this report, Malaysia strengthens its overall enabling trade performance by 6 positions and moves up to 24thposition out of 132 economies (2010: 30 out of 125 economies). This ranking places Malaysia among the top 20% of global trade enabled economies. Among Asia Pacific countries, Malaysia improved two positions, ranking 6th among 21 Asia Pacific countries, ahead of Taiwan (7th) and Korea (8th). The top 10 most trade enabled economies are Singapore, Hong Kong, Denmark, Sweden, New Zealand, Finland, Netherlands, Switzerland, Canada and...

KUALA LUMPUR 12 Feb. - Syarikat-syarikat Malaysia yang menyertai pameran penjagaan kesihatan Arab Health 2014, telah berjaya menjana jualan sebanyak RM215.3 juta. Pameran tersebut berlangsung selama empat hari bermula 27 Januari lalu di Pusat Pameran Antarabangsa Dubai, Emiriyah Arab Bersatu (UAE). Arab Health 2014 merupakan pameran penjagaan kesihatan terbesar di Asia Barat dengan menyaksikan penyertaan sebanyak 32 syarikat dari Malaysia. Daripada jumlah penyertaan itu, 15 syarikat telah mengambil bahagian di bahagian pavilion Perbadanan Pembangunan Perdagangan Luar Malaysia (Matrade). ?Produk-produk penjagaan kesihatan yang berjaya menarik minat para pelabur adalah katil-katil hospital, perabot perubatan, loket gas perubatan, jahitan, alat perubatan in vitro, tiub endotracheal, alat perubatan mudah alih, rawatan stem sel, alat berkhatan, topeng aerosol dengan tiub, sanitasi tangan, makanan-makanan tambahan dan sarung tangan getah untuk pemeriksaan,?? jelas Matrade dalam...

KUCHING 4 Mac - Johor merupakan destinasi pilihan utama pelabur di negara ini apabila mencatatkan nilai pelaburan berjumlah RM14.4 bilion dalam sektor pembuatan mengatasi Selangor, Sarawak dan Pulau Pinang pada tahun lalu. Timbalan Menteri Perdagangan Antarabangsa dan Industri, Datuk Ir. Hamim Samuri berkata, Selangor berada di tangga kedua dengan hasil pelaburan sebanyak RM9.8 bilion, diikuti Sarawak (RM8.27 bilion) dan Pulau Pinang (RM3.9 bilion). Katanya, daripada keempat-empat negeri itu, Sarawak mencatat hasil pelaburan hampir mencecah dua kali ganda berbanding tahun sebelumnya iaitu sebanyak RM4.72 bilion. Menurutnya, jumlah itu menunjukkan pengusaha dan penggiat aktiviti perniagaan pelbagai peringkat di Sarawak mempunyai keyakinan dalam menarik pelabur asing dan domestik terhadap prestasi ekonomi negeri itu. “Saya juga percaya komitmen kerajaan negeri dalam mewujudkan suasana kondusif dan mesra pelabur ternyata berjaya menarik pelabur untuk menanam modal di Sarawak,”...

KUALA LUMPUR, March 24 (Bernama) — Malaysia is on course to achieve total trade growth of between five-six per cent in 2014, says International Trade and Industry Minister Datuk Seri Mustapa Mohamed. He said broad recovery was seen in electrical and electronics exports while the trade surplus had become healthier in the first two months of 2014. “We have done well in the first two months. The performance has exceeded that of the same period last year,” he added. Mustapa was speaking to reporters after the launch of a book by former Deputy Prime Minister Tun Musa Hitam here Monday. The book, 21st Century Economics in the Muslim World, is a compilation of views on current economic issues of special interest to those following developments in the Muslim world. Malaysia’s trade in 2013 expanded by 4.6 per cent to RM1.36 trillion from RM1.309 trillion in 2012, boosted by a better export performance. The trade surplus last year amounted to RM70.63 billion. It was the 16th...

PETALING JAYA, Nov 4 (Bernama) — The open market under the Asean Economic Community (AEC) should be viewed as an opportunity, rather than a threat, says Minister of International Trade and Industry, Datuk Seri Mustapa Mohamed. He also debunked fears among sections of the younger generation that the AEC with its free movement of professionals might rob them of employment opportunities. “The perception and fear is unfounded, although we have signed mutual recognition agreements for the free movement of professionals like accountants, engineers, surveyors, doctors, architects and lawyers, subject to domestic rules and regulations, and not totally unregulated,” he said. He said Malaysia has been a net capital exporter for the last four to five years with many Malaysian companies investing large amounts of money abroad. “This has also opened up opportunities for young professional to venture abroad,” he added. He told reporters this after officiating the closing of the...