KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia’s trade and exports are expected to grow at a moderate pace of 2% to 3% each this year, lower than the 5.9% and 6.4% achieved respectively in 2014, said Minister of International Trade and Industry, Datuk Seri Mustapa Mohamed. “The 2% to 3% increase in trade and exports takes into account the following: one is the weakening global economy from 3.8% to 3.5%, number two is the uncertainty in currency market, number three is the decline in oil prices and perhaps continued modest growth in terms of commodity prices; we don’t see a sharp uptrend. The two growth forecasts have taken into account these factors,” he told reporters at a briefing on Malaysia’s 2014 trade performance yesterday. He said crude oil prices have been hovering around US$50 per barrel in the past few days but he believes that the US$55 per barrel forecast this year by the ministry is achievable and recovery in oil price is expected next year. Commenting on the currency, Mustapa...

KUALA LUMPUR: TB Supply Base Sdn Bhd (TBSB), which has received interest from over 100 companies to utilise its facilities in Tok Bali, Kelantan, will spend RM100 million in 2015 for civil works and to build facilities such as additional warehouses, Customs and Immigration building, new offices, canteen, rigging loft, crew jetty and helipad. TBSB is ultimately owned by Kelantan royalty Tengku Rozanna Petri and Tengku Rozlynda Petri Tengku Mohd Nasrun, through Forlenza Holdings Sdn Bhd. Forlenza through Matrix Reservoir Sdn Bhd, owns a 99.99% stake in TBSB. TBSB’s directors include Tengku Datuk Mohamad Rizam Tengku Abdul Aziz (also the chairman), Tengku Rozanna Petri and Shankar Ray Shi-Wan. TBSB is a logistics hub located in Tok Bali, Kelantan specifically catered to providers of support services to the offshore oil and gas industry. It has invested RM90 million to date since June 2014, for facilities like warehouses, revamp works and wharf. TBSB is located on a 328 acres...

KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 23 (Bernama) — The Tok Bali Supply Base project in Kelantan can attract up to RM1 billion in investments within the next three years. Minister of International Trade and Industry Datuk Seri Mustapa Mohamed said the project would have a spin-off effect on the surrounding Tok Bali area and the state itself. “This is a very important project for Kelantan. This is what the Kelantanese are yearning for,” he told reporters during a briefing Monday. Mustapa said Tok Bali Supply Base Sdn Bhd (TBSB), the operator of the supply base, has invested about RM90 billion to construct it and is expected to spend an additional RM100 million this year with its partners. He said TBSB is currently in talks with a pipe specialist company to set up a pipe-coating operation at the port, with an investment of about RM340 million over the next two years. He added that the company would occupy as much as 32.37 hectares of the port land with the objective of creating a facility...

Kota Bharu: Pemukiman Menteri-Menteri Ekonomi ASEAN ke-21 yang berlangsung di sini, dijangka dapat memberi manfaat besar buat sektor ekonomi di negeri ini. Pengarah Kementerian Perdagangan Antarabangsa dan Industri (MITI) Kelantan, Azran Deraman berkata, program tiga hari yang bermula 27 Februari sehingga 1 Mac ini disertai 10 menteri ekonomi perkumpulan serantau berkenaan. “Kelantan bertuah dapat menjadi hos bagi program besar ini dan kami jangka penganjuran ini memberi manfaat dan peluang untuk Kelantan menjana ekonomi ke satu peringkat yang lebih baik. “Ia dapat memberi peluang kepada negara anggota ASEAN melabur di Kelantan. Selain itu, Kelantan sendiri dapat meneroka pasaran ASEAN yang besar, ia peluang terbaik untuk usahawan dan juga industri,” katanya kepada pemberita ketika meninjau persiapan program Pemukiman Menteri-Menteri Ekonomi ASEAN Ke-21 di sebuah hotel di sini, semalam. Azran berkata, 10 usahawan dipilih oleh MITI untuk terbabit dalam program itu yang...

Pemukiman Menteri-Menteri Ekonomi Asean ke-21 hujung minggu ini akan membincangkan kaedah memudahkan lagi perdagangan antara negara-negara Asean. Menteri Perdagangan Antarabangsa dan Industri Datuk Seri Mustapa Mohamed berkata program tersebut yang menjadi tempat percambahan minda menteri-menteri ekonomi Asean, akan mencari jalan mengurangkan karenah prosedur perdagangan supaya ia lancar dan menjimatkan masa. “Kita hendak bincang halangan-halangan perdagangan, bagaimana hendak permudahkan lagi perdagangan 2 hala selain membincangkan faedah yang bakal diperolehi. “Contohnya standard yang berlainan. Kalau kita hendak hantar barang yang sama ke pelabuhan berbeza di negara-negara Asean, ia perlu melalui beberapa prosedur dan ujian yang cukup ketat,” katanya pada sidang akhbar hari ini. Program pemukiman tersebut akan berlangsung dari 27 Februari hingga 1 Mac ini di sini. Mustapa juga berkata pemilihan Kota Baru sebagai lokasi penganjuran program itu untuk mempromosikan...

Ready to Attract Oil and Gas Players KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 23 (Bernama) — Dato’ Sri Mustapa Mohamed, Minister of International Trade and Industry today announced that Tok Bali Supply Base Sdn Bhd (TBSB) has obtained the following approvals for its operations: a. Ministry of Finance approval for its establishment of the Supply Base in Tok Bali, on 7th January 2015. b. Supply Base & Bonded Warehouse License approval under Section 65 & 65A dated 12th January 2015 from Royal Customs Department. c. ISPS certificate from Marine Department Malaysia for the period of 5 years starting from 15th January 2015 to 14th  January 2020 for bulk carrier and oil tanker facilities. d. Supply Base License for leasing and rental activities from PETRONAS dated 21st January 2015. With these approvals, TBSB is now in a position to move on and attract relevant oil & gas industry players to locate their operations in Tok Bali. Recently, TBSB signed a sub-lease and throughput agreement with Astral...

KOTA BAHARU, Feb 24 (Bernama) — The 21st ASEAN Economic Ministers’ Retreat this weekend will discuss ways to facilitate trade among the region’s member nations, said International Trade and Industry Minister Datuk Seri Mustapa Mohamed. “We want to discuss trade barriers, how to facilitate two-way trade besides the benefits to be gained. “With different standards, for example, if we want to send the same good through different ports in ASEAN countries, it has to undergo quite stringent procedures and tests,” he said at a press conference to announce the programme for the retreat to be held here on Feb 27 to March 1. Mustapa said Kota Baharu was chosen as the venue for the retreat to enable Kelantan to be promoted as a progressive trade, investment and tourism destination. “Through the programme, Kelantan will be better known and this will bring a positive impact to the state in terms of tourism, trade and investment, while opening a wider market in ASEAN countries...

KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia aims to attract investments worth RM56bil in the manufacturing sector in 2015, a modest target compared with the RM71.9bil it received last year. Minister of International Trade and Industry Minister Datuk Seri Mustapa Mohamed said the manufacturing sector has remained attractive to investors, with  approved investments in the sector surging by 38% to RM71.9bil in 2014 compared with RM52.1bil in 2013. For the services sector, excluding real estate, the government expects to attract RM64.5bil in investments this year, the minister said after revealing the country’s Investment Performance Report 2014 here today. Despite a challenging external environment this year, Mustapa said he still expects a moderate outlook for the investment climate in Malaysia. He said currently there are RM65.1bil worth of on-going projects –RM51.4bil in the manufacturing sector and RM13.7bil in the services sector. Malaysian Investment Development Authority (MIDA) Chief...

KUALA LUMPUR 26 Feb. - Asas kewangan yang kukuh dan dasar negara yang pragmatik sejak lima tahun lalu diyakini meletakkan Malaysia dalam landasan yang betul untuk menjadi sebuah negara maju menjelang 2020. Menteri di Jabatan Perdana Menteri dan Ketua Pegawai Eksekutif Unit Pengurusan Prestasi dan Pelaksanaan (PEMANDU), Datuk Seri Idris Jala berkata, sehubungan itu, negara perlu kekal fokus dalam memperkembangkan sektor-sektor ekonomi utama dan memperbaiki persekitaran perniagaan di negara ini. “Kita tidak boleh berputus asa dengan cabaran-cabaran sebaliknya meneruskan perancangan sedia ada,” katanya dalam program Rangkuman Ekonomi 2014 di sini hari ini. Yang turut hadir pada program itu ialah Menteri di Jabatan Perdana Menteri, Datuk Seri Abdul Wahid Omar dan Menteri Perdagangan Antarabangsa dan Industri, Datuk Seri Mustapa Mohamad. Tambah Idris, pertumbuhan ekonomi 2014 yang kukuh diterajui oleh aktiviti-aktiviti pelaburan swasta dalam pelbagai industri utama termasuk...

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia Feb 26 (NNN-Bernama) — Domestic and foreign direct investments in Malaysia hit RM235.9 billion in 2014, up 7.52 per cent, from RM219.4 billion received in 2013, said International Trade and Industry Minister Mustapa Mohamed. Domestic Direct Investments (DDIs) accounted for RM171.3 billion or 72.6 per cent of total investments, a bulk of which was in the manufacturing, services and primary sector, while the remaining RM64.6 billion or 27.4 per cent came from foreign direct investments (FDIs). In 2013, DDIs stood at RM159.94 billion while FDIs amounted to RM59.45 billion. Mustapa said the country’s investment performance in 2014 exceeded the average annual investments target of RM148 billion set under the 10th Malaysia Plan. The ratio of FDIs and DDIs was in line with the government’s drive to actively promote domestic investments, as outlined in the Economic Transformation Programme and the 10th Malaysia Plan, he said at a press conference to...