I visited two factories yesterday. The first company was Combat Coating (M) Sdn Bhd and the other, Sipro Plastic Industries Sdn Bhd. Those in the automotive sector should be familiar with the names as they are renowned local SMEs providing their products and services to domestic automakers like PROTON, Perodua, Toyota and NAZA KIA to name a few. These companies bear testament to the Government’s efforts in developing local SMEs. They are the products of Malaysia-Japan Automotive Industrial Cooperation or better known as MAJAICO programme. The programme, costing some RM7 million, has assisted 77 Malaysian companies so far in manufacturing quality components. Through process improvements, companies will be able to improve quality and increase productivity. We need more local SMEs capable of supplying their products to multinational corporations. We do not want them to only supply to the domestic market, but also to reach-out globally. The government on its part is trying...

In a rapidly changing world, Malaysia holds its own… With a vibrant economy that is progressing… Through rapid industrialisation and transformation…  

Malaysia felt the impact of the global financial crisis, but through sound policy and hard work began to emerge from the crisis at the end of 2009 The world economy in 2009 underwent a major financial crisis. While the U.S., Europe and Japan were hardest hit, Malaysia did not escape economic contraction, but it was among the first countries to show signs of recovery due to the Government’s timely stimulus measures and sound fiscal policy.  The U.S. experienced a 2.4% contraction in real GDP, Europe’s economy shrunk by 4.1% and Japan saw a 5.2% contraction.  World total merchandise trade was down 23% in 2009, and total commercial services trade declines by 14%.  ASEAN saw slower GDP growth of 1.3% in 2009, compared with 4.4% growth in 2008. Malaysia’s economy shrunk in the first three quarters of 2009, but grew by 4.4% in the last three months of the year. Malaysia’s trading volume fell in 2009, in line with the global slowdown, but experienced much smaller...

The Government of Malaysia has agreed to enforce mandatory standards effective 1st November 2011on 6 tariff lines of aluminium sheets and foils.The enforcement of the mandatory standards has been gazetted under the Customs Order (Import Prohibition) (Amendment) (No.3) 2011 on 30th September 2011 involving the following Customs Harmonised System (HS) tariff lines: aluminium plates, sheets and strip of a thickness exceeding 0.2 mm, whether or not alloyed 7606.11.000 7606.12.000 aluminium foil of a thickness not exceeding 0.2mm, not backed: 7606.91.000 7606.92.000 rolled but not further worked other 7607.11.000 7607.19.000 2. The implementation of mandatory standards on aluminium productsis to ensure raw materials used in end-products meet the quality and safety requirements, minimise the importation of sub-standards products, as well as support the development and competitiveness of the local aluminium industry by producing high quality products that meet international...

By Datuk Mustapa Mohamed…

LAST year, Malaysia’s approved investments continued on a sharp recovery trend with total approved investments in the manufacturing sector recording a value of RM56.1bil compared with RM47.2bil in 2010. Penang, Selangor, Sarawak and Johor topped the table with RM9.1bil, RM8.7bil, RM8.5bil and RM6.6bil, respectively. Penang has consistently been among the top investment destinations over the last four decades.The island state is a manifestation of the success of Malaysia’s evolution from a primary-based to a highly industrialised economy. The success of the transition of the Malaysian economy is due, in no small measure, to the development and industrial plans introduced by the Federal Government since Independence, especially after 1970.A major thrust of these plans was to promote the growth of private investments, both local and foreign. These plans combined with a politically stable environment, effective policy and implementation framework,...

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...

KUALA LUMPUR, June 10 (Bernama) — Might-Meteor Advanced Manufacturing aims to improve the productivity of at least 100 local small and medium enterprises (SMEs) this year via the “Coaching For You@SME” programme adopted from South Korea. “For the first batch, 20 companies will be coached on Korean methods to expedite employees’ talents and competencies in business,” Managing Director Jasmin Baba told the media at the signing of the partnership agreement between Korea’s Incoaching Co Ltd and Might-Meteor. She said the programme would benefit mostly high-technology companies involved in shipbuilding, aerospace and the Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) project under the government’s Economic Transformation Programme (ETP). “We want to make sure the employees have a high quality and professional attitude that can be passed on to other colleagues and together help improve their companies,” she said. SME Corp Chief Executive Officer Datuk Hafsah Hashim, who was also at the...

PETALING JAYA (July 3, 2013): NI Malaysia Sdn Bhd, a producer of automated test equipment and virtual instrumentation software, aims to derive up to 45% of its business from small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in the next five years, from 30% currently. This is on the back of initiatives such as the soon-to-be launched National Instruments Academy and Innovation Nucleus (NI-AIN) laboratory and its work with universities here. NI Malaysia is part of National Instruments Corp, a Nasdaq listed group headquartered in Austin, Texas. The NI-AIN laboratory aims to provide SMEs which are generally cash strapped with access to laboratory facilities for their testing needs. The laboratory will be set up in collaboration with Technology Park Malaysia Corp and SME Corp. National Instruments managing director of Southeast Asia Chandran Nair told SunBiz in an interview recently that the company expects to have 30 or 40 proofs of concept a year through the NI-AIN laboratory project. “If...

KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 11 (Bernama) — The Ministry of International Trade and Industry is committed to work closely with the Federation of Malaysian Manufacturers (FMM) to enhance productivity and competitiveness in the manufacturing sector. Its Minister, Datuk Seri Mustapa Mohamed, said the ministry would work closely with FMM to see how the country’s competitiveness could be further enhanced. “If we are not competitive our companies cannot survive. “The ministry will continue to enhance the manufacturing sector’s contributions to the economy, especially in the creation of hubs,” he said. He said this to reporters after a networking session with the private sector agencies in conjunction with the Chinese New Year celebration here Tuesday. Mustapa held a closed-door meeting with the FMM Council, the highest governing body of FMM led by its President, Datuk Saw Choo Boon, before the networking session. Saw is also the co-chair of the government’s Special Task Force To...

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...