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...

KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 26 (Bernama) — Malaysia aims to attract investments worth RM56 billion in the manufacturing sector in 2015, a modest target compared with the RM71.9 billion 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 per cent to RM71.9 billion in 2014 compared with RM52.1 billion in 2013. For the services sector, excluding real estate, the government expects to attract RM64.5 billion in investments this year, the minister said after revealing the country’s Investment Performance Report 2014 here, Thursday. 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 RM65.1 billion worth of on-going projects — RM51.4 billion in the manufacturing sector and RM13.7 billion in the...

KUALA LUMPUR (Feb 26): Malaysia will increase incentives for companies to relocate operations to the country as it seeks more foreign investments to bolster growth. Approved direct investments rose to a record 235.9 billion ringgit ($65.5 billion) last year from 219.4 billion in 2013, International Trade and Industry Minister Mustapa Mohamed said in Kuala Lumpur today. Domestic investments accounted for about 73 percent of the total, he said. Prime Minister Najib Razak is dismantling decades of subsidies and increasing his focus on luring foreign investment, boosting education standards and adding high-quality jobs to propel the economy into developed status by the end of this decade. The government is depending on the private sector to drive capital spending as it cuts operating expenditure to narrow a budget deficit. “We are planning to introduce tax and location incentives for principal hub companies and the details are still being worked” out, Mustapa told reporters....

KUALA LUMPUR: Approved investments climbed for the fourth consecutive year in 2014, rising to a new high of RM235.9bil compared with RM219.4bil recorded in 2013, said International Trade and Industry Minister Datuk Seri Mustapa Mohamed.

Domestic investments accounted for 72.6% of the total while new investments in the manufacturing sector rose 38% to RM71.9bil.

The approved projects last year would create 178,360 new jobs, Mustapa said.

He said the Government was setting a modest target of RM56bil for approved projects in the manufacturing sector amid a more challenging global economic outlook.

“We are planning to introduce tax and location incentives for principal hub companies,” Mustapa said at an economic event organised by the Performance Management and Delivery Unit (Pemandu) yesterday. The Government, he said, would include customised incentives to attract more foreign investors.

The economy expanded 6% in 2014, boosted by steady growth in the construction and...