The Malaysian American Electronics Industry (MAEI) expects a turnaround in the global electrical and electronics (E&E) industry by 2010 with demand picking up for personal computers, disc storage systems and mobile phones as widely forecasted by major international research houses. Exports of US electronics manufacturers in Malaysia are to register 15-20% rise in the second quarter of 2009, and another 10% in the third quarter. The increase is driven by the stimulus packages implemented by governments worldwide, especially China. The expected increase in exports in the second quarter is also due to worldwide consolidation activities and inventory correction. Malaysia has also benefited from the global economic crisis as some companies gained from additional activities and increased use of shared services as a result of the consolidation of overseas companies and outsourcing strategies, such as in design and development (D&D), procurement, financial services, IT and human...

A total of 360 manufacturing projects with investments amounting to RM15.9 billion were approved in the first six months of 2009. Foreign investments amounted to RM10.6 billion (66.7%) while domestic investments totaled RM5.2 billion (32.7%). Leading investment areas were chemical and chemical products (RM7.3 billion), basic metal products (RM1.9 billion), E&E products (RM1.8 billion), petroleum products (RM1.1 billion), and fabricated metal products (RM855.4 million). Collectively, these projects represent 82% of the value of total investment approved.

ASEAN-wide: 98.94 per cent of all products have been placed in the Inclusion List (IL) of the CEPT Scheme for AFTA. Of which 97.15 per cent are at 0-5 per cent. Average tariff in 2009 is 1.65 per cent (1.95 per cent in 2008). For ASEAN-6: 99.40 per cent of all their products are in the Inclusion List (IL), of which 99.71 per cent are at duty of 0-5 per cent. Average tariff is 0.79 per cent in 2008 (1.32 per cent in 2007). For CLMV: 98.31 per cent of all their products are in the IL, of which 93.15 per cent are at duty of 0-5 per cent. Average tariff is 3.00 per cent in 2009 (3.69 per cent in 2008).

Exports continued to expand in July 2009, increasing RM3.8 billion or 8.4% from June 2009. Imports increased by 14.2% to RM41.1 billion from the month before. Total trade increased month-on-month by RM8.9 billion or 11% from June 2009. Malaysia also recorded a trade surplus of RM7.8 billion making July 2009 the 141 consecutive month of trade surplus since November 1997. Year-on-year comparison for the period January to July 2009 showed a marked contraction in total trade, exports and imports. In the first seven months, total trade fell by 23.9% from the corresponding period of 2008. Exports declined by 23.3% to RM299.4 billion while imports shrank 24.7% to RM232.3 billion. Five export destinations namely Singapore, China. USA, Japan, Thailand collectively contributed 51.7% of Malaysia’s total exports in July 2009. Singapore remained the top export market while China overtook both the USA and Japan to become Malaysia’s second largest export destination since March...

Malaysia’s Industrial Production Index (IPI) for the manufacturing sector has continued its upward momentum by growing 6.2% in July 2009. July was the fifth consecutive month of growth this year and the first time that manufacturing breached the index of 100 since December 2008. Exports of manufactured goods grew by 11% in July 2009 although year-on-year manufacturing exports contracted by 15.4%. The manufacturing sector’s sales value in July fell 22.4% to RM42.2 billion compared with RM54.4 billion reported in the same month last year. However, sales value grew 7% from June 2009.  

The ASEAN-India Free Trade Agreement (AIFTA) came into effect on 1 January 2010 for Malaysia and India. It is a remarkable milestone towards a freer market environment, and an important agreement for Malaysia as India is emerging as an important trading partner as well as a market for Malaysian exports. This FTA creates a market of 1.7 billion people with combined GDP of US$2.8 trillion and combined global trade of over US$2 trillion. Under the AIFTA, ASEAN Member States and India have agreed to progressively reduce and eliminate duties on substantial number of products over a period of 3-8 years beginning 1 January 2010. The Philippines, Cambodia, Lao PDR, Myanmar and Viet Nam are given an additional 2-3 years to reduce and eliminate their duties under this FTA. Dato’ Sri Mustapa Mohamed says that Malaysia is committed to eliminate import duties on 6,792 products or tariff lines by 31December 2013, while duties on another 1,266 tariff lines would be eliminated by 31 December...

Nearly two thirds of GDP by 2015 will be services. The new economic model for Malaysia places emphasis on raising the productivity level of workers to help them earn higher incomes as well as raising the country’s income status as a whole from middle to high. When the new economic model is unveiled, necessary changes and realignment to policies and strategies outlined in the IMP3 will have to be made. These include changes to macro-frameworks and to inject the elements of innovation and creativity into the development strategies. The target has been set; the contribution of the services sector is to increase to 60 per cent of the GDP by 2015. We want to hear your feedback…

KUALA LUMPUR 22 Feb. - Menteri Perdagangan Antarabangsa dan Industri, Datuk Seri Mustapa Mohamed secara rasmi menyertai komuniti maya apabila melancarkan Facebooknya - usaha terbaik mendampingi rakyat dengan berkongsi idea dan pandangan. Facebook Mustapa mula diaktifkan sejak 21 Disember 2009 dan sejak dua bulan lalu telah mempunyai seramai 669 peminat yang terdiri daripada pelbagai latar belakang termasuk dari luar negara. Pelancaran laman sosial itu diadakan dalam Majlis Ramah Mesra Bersama Anak-Anak Kelantan sekitar Lembah Klang di kediaman beliau di sini semalam. Hadir sama, Timbalan Menteri Kewangan, Datuk Dr. Awang Adek Hussin yang juga Timbalan Pengerusi Badan Perhubungan UMNO Kelantan. Selain Facebook yang baru dilancarkan itu, beliau turut mempunyai medium komunikasi maya lain seperti laman web UMNO Jeli, www.umnojeli.net dan laman komuniti Jeli, Kelantan, www.jeli.my yang juga boleh diakses secara talian oleh orang ramai. Mustapa melihat penggunaan media sosial...

 

YB Minister presents his Keynote Address at the National Domestic Investments Dialogue & Seminar organised by MIDA and SME Corp. at Berjaya Times Square, Kuala Lumpur. The Dialogue & Seminar was well received with participants coming from all over the country.