KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 19 (Bernama) -- Malaysia will finalise the remaining 28 new sub-sectors in the liberalisation of services sector by next year, for inclusion in the 10th Asean Framework Agreement on Services (AFAS) package.

International Trade and Industry Minister Datuk Seri Mustapa Mohamed said Malaysia had cumulatively covered 100 services sub-sectors in the Ninth Package, among them, healthcare, tourism and telecommunications.

He said Malaysia is currently gathering suggestions and feedback from other Asean countries which would be discussed at the end of February or early March 2015.

"We are also preparing to take over the chairmanship of Asean next year, and we hope the 10th Package would be finalised by October ahead of the targeted launch date of the Asean Economic Community by end-2015," he told the media after the National Seminar and Workshop on Trade in Services here, today.

He said the 28 sub-sectors might not be necessarily new, with enhancements to be made on existing sub-sectors made under the Ninth Package, on matters such as freer trade in the services sector.

On domestic services sector growth, Mustapa is optimistic the sector could achieve 60 per cent contribution to the gross domestic product by 2020, from the current 54.9 per cent, with the implementation of the Services Sector Blueprint 2014 that aims to strengthen competitiveness.

 

Download slides : National Seminar and Workshop on Trade in Services, 19 November 2014, MATRADE Exhibition and Convention Center, Kuala Lumpur