Kuala Lumpur, 27 October 2022 – Thamlev USA Ltd., a US-based company headquartered in Arkansas, has announced Malaysia as its manufacturing base in Southeast Asia for the production of electric bikes outside the United States. This new site will expand upon Thamlev’s existing manufacturing capacity and will help raising the profile and development of the electric vehicle (EV) sector in Malaysia. 

With a total investment project value at RM100 million in the Light Electric Vehicle (LEV), the company’s capital investment is set to transform the country into LEV hub such as eMoped, eMotorcycle, eMicrocar, for global market and generating approximately 750 of jobs opportunities in Malaysia.

In welcoming Thamlev to be part of the Malaysia’s EV ecosystem, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Malaysian Investment Development Authority (MIDA), Datuk Wira Arham Abdul Rahman, said, “We are excited to know that Thamlev is currently expanding and proposing Malaysia as a production hub for its light electric vehicle to be exported to the United States. Thamlev’s expansion into Malaysia is in line with our National Automotive Policy (NAP) with the aim to position Malaysia as a regional leader in EV manufacturing, engineering, technology and sustainable development. Identified as one of the key sectors under the National Investment Aspirations (NIA), Malaysia is committed to driving the growth of EVs and its entire ecosystem which in turn helps to elevate the EV landscape in Malaysia to become more competitive in the South East Asia.

“The Malaysian Government will strive to build a conducive environment for foreign and domestic industry players to do business in Malaysia, given the nation’s readiness to provide highly-skilled talents and capable technology partners.” Added Datuk Wira Arham.

Kelvin Tham, CEO of Thamlev Mobility Sdn. Bhd., said,” We aim at providing the most compelling LEV of the 21st century. Thamlev is dedicated to producing innovative, sustainable and attractive design of LEV. With our advanced research and development (R&D) department, we continue to pledge our commitment in sticking to the highest-quality LEV and focusing on driving the growth of Malaysia’s manufacturing sector, particularly in the LEV sector.”

“Aspired to be a hub of the LEV creation and innovation pioneer, we believe that a great organisation should equipped with the best talents, unique capabilities, creative thinking and technical skills in order to succeed in the competitive environment and constant development. Today, we make it happen; Thamlev is ranked no.5 with the annual sales of 4000 units in the United States, in 2022. We look forward to expand our footprint across the United States, Europe and ASEAN region in the near future.”

In December 2021, Thamlev has signed a memorandum of agreement (MOA) with NanoMalaysia, the commercialisation agency under the Science, Technology and Innovation Ministry (MOSTI) and Hyundai Kefico Corp. on EV Micro Mobility Ecosystem amounted to USD30 million. The adoption of EV micro mobility ecosystem will be the catalyst for the company to advance into LEV, in line with the global technological revolution.

Thamlev has also teaming up with Curo Co.,Ltd, Hyundai Electric and Energy Systems Co.,Ltd Daegu Mechatronics and Materials Institute and Signet EV to form a Battery Swap Station (BSS) consortium in Malaysia. Through this new technological adoption, Thamlev is anticipating to increase its annual production target up to 100,000 unit per year by 2025.

Thamlev’s new manufacturing base in Malaysia will serve as a central hub for the company’s research and development (R&D) process department, including the development of its full vehicle system design and integration, Gallium Nitride (GaN) based Power Train R&D and BSS equipment. It will also become the main manufacturing hub to export the LEV to the high-potential export market such as the US and the European markets beginning January 2023. Meanwhile, China will supply a wide range of general parts and bike frames. Adding on to this, Thamlev is also committed to empowering the graduates by working closely with prestigious universities in enhancing research collaboration and technology transfer such as Artificial Intelligence (AI) in autonomous driving and big data analysis.

MIDA has approved 25 projects totalling RM10.69 billion in the EV and its related ecosystems from 2020 to June 2022. The approved investments include the activity of EV assembly, manufacturing of EV parts and components and its charging components.

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About MIDA 

MIDA is the Government’s principal investment promotion and development agency under the Ministry of International Trade and Industry (MITI) to oversee and drive investments into the manufacturing and services sectors in Malaysia. Starting operations in 1967 with a relatively small set up of 37 staff, MIDA has grown to become a strong and dynamic organisation of over 700 employees. Headquartered in Kuala Lumpur Sentral, MIDA today has 12 regional and 20 overseas offices. MIDA continues to be the strategic partner to businesses in seizing the opportunities arising from the technology revolution of this era. For more information, please visit www.mida.gov.my and follow us on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook, LinkedIn and YouTube channel. 

About Thamlev 

Thamlev USA Ltd was founded in 2020 in USA. In 2022, Thamlev has relocated its production base from China to Malaysia. Thamlev strives to provide the best quality of Light Electric Vehicle, designed in USA, made in Malaysia, using high quality materials, inspected and tested in our factory, ship and distribute to our dealers in USA.

Thamlev’s R&D and technical team are striving toward making the high-quality Light Electric Vehicle through our continuous investment in R&D activities, by the continuous growth and update of know-how in order to keep abreast with the latest technological revolution and industrial transformation. the resources of advanced research and development facility, Thamlev is moving forward to be a leading manufacturer in the Light Electric Vehicle industry. 

Media contact:

Mr. Nazuki Abdullah
Director, Transport Technology Division
Email: [email protected]   
Tel.: +603-2267 6688

Thamlev Mobility Sdn Bhd
Mr. Owen Soh
General Manager
Email: [email protected]
Tel: +6012-26299071

Thamlev Chooses Malaysia As Its Manufacturing Base Outside USA For the Production of Light Electric Vehicle (LEV)

Kuala Lumpur, 26 October 2022 – Cochlear Limited (ASX: COH), the global leader in implantable hearing solutions, has today announced the expansion of its global manufacturing facility in Kuala Lumpur, elevating Malaysia as one of the global powerhouses in the manufacture and maintenance of hearing implant sound processors.

The new expansion involves an investment of more than RM30 million to support the company’s growing demand for cochlear and acoustic hearing implants in Malaysia as well as more than 180 other countries around the world. For the last six years, Cochlear’s site in the country has created more than 270 new job opportunities.

Datuk Wira Arham Abdul Rahman, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Malaysian Investment Development Authority (MIDA), stated in his welcome address, “Cochlear’s decision to expand its global manufacturing footprint in Malaysia will reaffirm our position not only as an ASEAN destination for innovative and advanced manufacturing, but also as a world-leading medical devices investment destination. Cochlear has also provided a flexible approach to training local talent from the diploma level and beyond with an attractive pay system above the national minimum wage. The local talents are given the knowledge and skills that are not confined to medical devices but could also be applied in various industries.”

Dig Howitt, CEO and President of Cochlear said, “This expansion is key to our mission to help hundreds of thousands of people around the world to hear. In addition to increasing our ability to make more sound processors, the new Global Distribution Centre supports efficiencies in transporting goods, and sustainability benefits by reducing the air miles travelled between us and our suppliers. We’re very grateful for the strong support and partnership from MIDA, Malaysia’s Ministry of Health (MOH) and Association of Malaysian Medical Industries (AMMI) that has allowed us to grow in Malaysia, making Kuala Lumpur our third largest site in the Cochlear network.”

The event was also attended by a 10-year-old, Olyvia Kuan Yu Qin, from Tawau, Sabah, who was born with profound hearing loss. Olyvia’s hearing loss was diagnosed at 20 months old, and she received cochlear implants at the age of 2 years old. Olyvia said, “I was born deaf. It was a big surprise for my parents. Now I can hear and speak with the help of my cochlear implants. I had to work hard to catch up on learning to hear, but now, I love reading, drama, acting, singing, and dancing.”

The new expanded site will manufacture and maintain Cochlear’s latest and most advanced cochlear and acoustic implant sound processers. With over 300 employees, the facility which spanning the area of 50,000 square feet will include the company’s global logistics, supply chain, and information technology services. As part of Cochlear’s global target to achieve net zero carbon emissions in its operations by 2030, the manufacturing site is also powered by 100 per cent renewable energy. The initiative is aligned with the country’s vision of achieving net zero emissions by 2050. Adding on to this, the Malaysia’s site is one of company’s eight global operations to oversee the design, development, manufacture and supply for the Australian-headquartered company.

In the 2021-22 fiscal year, Cochlear provided more than 40,000 hearing implants to adults and children around the world. The number of children in Malaysia who could benefit from a hearing implant may be set to rise. By 2024, the Government of Malaysia aims to implement universal newborn hearing screening in 95 per cent of public and private hospitals to identify children and determine who could benefit from an assistive hearing device. Currently, only 65 per cent of hospitals in Malaysia offer this service. In Malaysia, approximately 1,500 children are born with hearing loss every year on average.^1-3 By expanding the newborn hearing screening programme, thousands more children in Malaysia could gain the opportunity to hear and reach their full potential and enables the parents to receive the necessary support and advice needed right from the start.⁴

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About MIDA

MIDA is the government’s principal investment promotion and development agency under the Ministry of International Trade and Industry (MITI) to oversee and drive investments into the manufacturing and services sectors in Malaysia. Headquartered in Kuala Lumpur central, MIDA has 12 regional and 21 overseas office. MIDA continues to be the strategic partner to businesses in seizing the opportunities arising from the technology revolution of this era. For more information, please visit www.mida.gov.my and follow us on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn and YouTube.

About Cochlear Limited (ASX: COH)

People have always been Cochlear’s inspiration, ever since Professor Graeme Clark set out to create the first multi-channel cochlear implant after seeing his father struggle with hearing loss.  Since 1981, Cochlear has provided more than 700,000 devices in more than 180 countries, helping people of all ages around the world to hear.  As the global leader in implantable hearing solutions, Cochlear connects people with life’s opportunities, and welcomes them to the world’s largest hearing implant community.

Cochlear has a global workforce of close to 4,500 people, with a passion for progress, who strive to meet the needs of people living with hearing loss. The company continually innovates to anticipate future needs, investing more than AUD$2 billion to date in research and development to push the boundaries of technology and help more people hear.

www.cochlear.com

Media contacts:

MIDA
Ms. Azlina Hamdan
Director of Life Sciences & Medical Technology Division
Email: [email protected]
Tel.: +603-2267 3791

Cochlear Limited
Theveena Chahil
Edelman Public Relations Worldwide Sdn Bhd
Email: [email protected]
Tel.: +6012-5077220

References

1. World Health Organization. WHO statement on hearing loss prevalence accessed on March 1, 2020 Available from: https://www.who.int.
2. Pourarian S, Khademi B, Pishva N, Jamali A. Prevalence of hearing loss in newborns admitted to neonatal intensive care unit. Iran J Otorhinolaryngol. 2012;24:129–34.
3. Vital Statistics, Malaysia. 2021. https://www.dosm.gov.my
4. World report on hearing. Geneva: World Health Organization; 2021. Licence: CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 IGO.

Please seek advice from your health professional about treatments for hearing loss. Outcomes may vary, and your health professional will advise you about the factors which could affect your outcome. Always read the instructions for use. Not all products are available in all countries. Please contact your local Cochlear representative for product information.

Views expressed are those of the individual. Consult your health professional to determine if you are a candidate for Cochlear technology.

Cochlear, Hear now. And always, Nucleus, and the elliptical logo are either trademarks or registered trademarks of the Cochlear group of companies.

© Cochlear Limited 2022. All rights reserved.

D1983280 ISS1 10 22

Cochlear Expands Global Operations And Manufacturing In Malaysia Helping Thousands To Hear Better

Enabling the next generation of green-tech and e-mobility products

Penang, 22 October 2022 – Indium Corporation, a US-based global materials supplier to the electronics assembly and semiconductor packaging industries, organised a grand opening for its new 37,500-square-foot manufacturing facility with a special ceremony in Penang today.

The ceremony celebrated the new facility with a ribbon cutting, lion dance, and comments from company officials, as well as community and industry leaders including the Chief Minister of Penang, YAB Tuan Chow Kon Yeow; Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Malaysian Investment Development Authority (MIDA), Datuk Wira Arham bin Abdul Rahman; Chairman of Penang State Trade Industry and Entrepreneur Development Committee, YB Dato’ Haji Abdul Halim Bin Haji Hussain; and Chief Executive Officer of InvestPenang, Dato’ Loo Lee Lian. The ceremony closed with a cultural performance and site tour of the new facility.

Officiating the grand opening, the Chief Minister of Penang, YAB Tuan Chow Kon Yeow said, “Penang is pleased to be the choice location for Indium Corporation’s new manufacturing facility. The company’s investment decision serves as an acknowledgement of the skilled talent, well-developed infrastructure and resilient environment the state holds. Being widely regarded as one of the major players in the global semiconductor industry, Penang’s robust electrical and electronics (E&E) ecosystem is believed to have paved the way for sustainable industry development, offering a competent platform for the players along the supply chain to participate and thrive.”

Datuk Wira Arham Abdul Rahman, CEO of MIDA, expressed “We welcome Indium Corporation’s presence in Malaysia as it marks the confidence in the continuous sustainable growth of the nation’s economy. Indium Corporation’s footprint in the country will positively provide avenue for the company to explore more high value-added activities with domestic players for mutual benefit outcomes and become an important industry partner to Malaysia in the advanced soldering material industry.”

“The establishment of the company’s new manufacturing facility will further solidify Malaysia’s ecosystem and nurture the country’s local supply chain that will contribute to opening new opportunities not only for the metals industry but also for the machinery and equipment (M&E), automotive, E&E and semiconductor industries.” added Datuk Wira Arham.

Indium Corporation’s President and Chief Operating Officer, Mr. Ross Berntson commented, “Indium Corporation is proud to continue its more than 40-year history of doing business in Malaysia with the grand opening of our new manufacturing facility in Penang. This new facility will enable us to further support our customers in automotive, semiconductor, power electronics, e-mobility, industrial and computing and other markets.”

Indium Corporation produces a diverse range of solders and solder paste products including materials for the electronics assembly, e-mobility, power electronics, and advanced packaging for semiconductor markets.

Earlier this year, the company announced its investment of RM250 million for its expansion in Malaysia with this new manufacturing facility for its advanced solder paste, high-performance thermal materials, and innovative engineered solder products. The new facility has begun its manufacturing activities and will continue to expand the production capacity to better serve the company’s customers in Malaysia and the surrounding region, including Thailand and Vietnam.

The new facility will be manufacturing the following products:

• Solder Pastes: Indium Corporation is the Avoid the Void^® leader in the market, providing proven and innovative products that eliminate defects and deliver high reliability. The most recent innovation, patented Durafuse™ LT technology, delivers exceptional reliability while reducing energy consumption and carbon footprint.
• Thermal Interface Materials (TIMs): Indium Corporation is an industry leader in high-performance solder- and metal-based TIMs for a variety of applications.
• Solder preforms: Indium Corporation’s proven, innovative material solutions for die-attach and power semiconductor applications are designed to increase productivity, performance, and efficiencies. The patented InFORMS^® and other preforms products meet the highest standards in power electronics applications.

Penang also houses the company’s Malaysia Tech Hub, a regional centre for the development of electronics assembly expertise and customer service, as well as a logistics and manufacturing support centre.

About MIDA
MIDA is the government’s principal promotion agency under the Ministry of International Trade and Industry (MITI) to oversee and drive investments into the manufacturing and services sectors in Malaysia. Headquartered in Kuala Lumpur Sentral, MIDA has 12 regional and 20 overseas offices. MIDA continues to be the strategic partner to businesses in seizing the opportunities arising from the technology revolution of this era. For more information, please visit www.mida.gov.my and follow us on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, TikTok and YouTube channel.

About InvestPenang
InvestPenang is a non-profit entity of the Penang State Government with the primary purpose of promoting investments within Penang. As the principal investment promotion agency of the State, its objectives are to sustain and rejuvenate Penang’s economy by enhancing and continuously injecting business activities in the State through the promotion of foreign and local investments, including the spawning of viable new growth centres. For more information, please visit www.investpenang.gov.my.

About Indium Corporation
Indium Corporation^® is a premier materials refiner, smelter, manufacturer, and supplier to the global electronics, semiconductor, thin-film, and thermal management markets. Products include solders and fluxes; brazes; thermal interface materials; sputtering targets; indium, gallium, germanium, and tin metals and inorganic compounds; and NanoFoil^®. Founded in 1934, the company has global technical support and factories located in China, Germany, India, Malaysia, Singapore, South Korea, the United Kingdom, and the U.S. For more information about Indium Corporation, visit www.indium.com or email [email protected]. You can also follow our experts, From One Engineer To Another^® (#FOETA), at www.linkedin.com/company/indium-corporation/ or @IndiumCorp.

Media Contacts:

MIDA
Ms. Zakiah Sajidan
Director, Machinery & Metal Technology Division
Email: [email protected] Tel.: +603-2267-6769

InvestPenang
Ms. Yeoh Bit Kun / Ms. Ooi Phei Wen
E: [email protected] / [email protected]

Indium Corporation
Ms. Jingya Huang
Marketing Communications Manager
Indium Corporation
Email: [email protected]
Tel.: +1 (315) 381-4900

Indium Corporation Celebrates Grand Opening of Its New Manufacturing Facility In Malaysia

Johor, 20 October 2022 – Bridge Data Centres (BDC) (Chindata Group- NASDAQ: CD), a leading data centre provider across Malaysia, India and Thailand together with ByteDance, celebrate a significant milestone today with the grand opening of BDC’s first phase hyperscale data centre (MY06) in Sedenak, Johor. Phase 1 covers the first of the three buildings in the 110MW hyperscale data centre project which spans across 38 acres of land area. Leveraging on innovative construction and design methodologies, the construction of the data centre is being completed in record time of approximately 2,200,000 working hours (314 days) since breaking ground in November 2021. The project received full support and facilitation from the federal and state governments including the Digital Investment Office (DIO), a fully-digital collaborative platform between the Malaysian Investment Development Authority (MIDA) and the Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation (MDEC).

The grand opening was graced by the Chief Minister of Johor and other dignitaries to mark the success of Malaysia as a competitive nation in attracting data centre investment. It also aligns with the country’s aim to attract RM70 billion investments in digitalisation under the MyDIGITAL initiative.

Also present to witness the event was Datuk Wira Arham Abdul Rahman, Chief Executive Officer of MIDA, who expressed, “We are excited and honoured to have been chosen by Bridge Data Centres and ByteDance as their choice of location for the establishment of this hyperscale data centre venture. MIDA through Digital Investment Office (DIO) and Project Acceleration and Coordination Unit (PACU) have been very supportive of this project since its pre-investment stage right up to the implementation phase. I remember chairing several meetings to facilitate this project with various stakeholders including electricity requirements from TNB, land matters, as well as water requirements.”

“Today’s event demonstrates that Malaysia is still the most desirable location in the region for data centre hubs. Supported by the country’s vast resources, favourable environment and advancement in digital infrastructure, Malaysia has developed into a mature market for data centres. This illustrates the country’s readiness to serve as a regional data centre hub.” added Datuk Wira Arham.

BDC is also the first company with Malaysia Digital status to complete the construction and handover the business-ready hyperscale data centre in 2022.

“On behalf of MDEC, I would like to congratulate BDC on the opening of Phase 1 of the hyperscale data centre. This facility will increase not only latency and efficiency, but also will help attract other global businesses and investments into the country. It adds to the momentum that we have built with the launch of Malaysia Digital, a new national strategic initiative, which seeks to catalyse the growth of our digital economy,” said Ts. Mahadhir Aziz, CEO of MDEC.

With the rapid growth of the cloud service providers and digital media, BDC has the full support from the US-based Bain Capital to expand its hyperscale data centre business in the Southeast Asia region. The company will be building another 100 MW of data centre in the next five years across Malaysia, Indonesia and Thailand.  

“I would like to express my gratitude to the Digital Investment Office (DIO), Invest Johor, and Tenaga Nasional Berhad (TNB) for their tremendous assistance and support for this project. We look forward to a long-term partnership with the Malaysian government as we expand our business in Malaysia to support our clients.” said Mr. Lim DZ Shing, President of Bridge Data Centres.

ByteDance System Sdn. Bhd, will be the anchor tenant of BDC’s hyperscale data centre with long-term investment commitment in the country.

“We are excited to partner with BDC in our data centre operations. The commitments we are making today reflect our continued investment into the growth of Malaysia’s digital economy. As we continue to provide interconnected online experiences to people across the globe while offering them world-class privacy and security protections, we look forward to working closely with the Malaysia government to expand its data governance leadership globally,” said Teresa Tan, Director of Public Policy, Southeast Asia, ByteDance.

The grand opening ceremony was held at Sedenak Tech Park (STeP) following the Malay Traditional Kompang performance and blessing from honourable guests for future success and prosperity.

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About MIDA

MIDA is the government’s principal investment promotion and development agency under the Ministry of International Trade and Industry (MITI) to oversee and drive investments into the manufacturing and services sectors in Malaysia. Headquartered in Kuala Lumpur Sentral, MIDA has 12 regional and 20 overseas offices. MIDA continues to be the strategic partner to businesses in seizing the opportunities arising from the technology revolution of this era. For more information, please visit www.mida.gov.my and follow us on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, TikTok and YouTube channel.

About Bridge Data Centres

A subsidiary of NASDAQ-listed Chindata Group, Bridge Data Centres is one of the largest Data Centre companies in the region, providing hyperscale and wholesale data centre solutions. Headquartered in Singapore, Bridge Data Centres will be operating 150+ MW of IT capacity across India and Malaysia. Bridge Data Centres offers a full range of innovative and transformative solutions for businesses looking to grow their reach and revenue in emerging markets and are committed to attaining carbon neutrality by 2030 as announced by Chindata Group. For more details, please visit bridgedatacentres.com.

Media Contacts

MIDA
Ms. Rosedalina Ramlan
Director of Business Services and Regional Operations Division
Email: [email protected]
Tel.: +603-2267 3515

MDEC
Mr. Simon Yap/Mr. Lewis
Email: [email protected]/[email protected]
Tel.: +603-8315 3000

Bridge Data Centres
Ms. Evelyn Ang
Director Marketing and Comms
Email: [email protected]
Tel.: +65 97651376

Tel.: +65 97651376

Bridge Data Centres And Bytedance Celebrate Grand Opening Of The First Phase Hyperscale Data Centre (My06) In Johor, Malaysia

Pulau Pinang, 8 October 2022 – Swift Bridge Technologies (M) Sdn. Bhd. (Swift Bridge Technologies), a Malaysian-based company focusing on designing, developing and manufacturing of High Precision Radio Frequency (RF) Coaxial Test Cable Solutions and electric vehicle (EV) automotive wire harness, announced the establishment of its new Centre of Excellence (CoE) in conjunction with the company’s 10^th Anniversary this year.

With a total investment of RM10 million capital expenditure, the new facility of 10,000 square feet is equipped with design, research and development, and test lab facilities; and features the new 125GHz vector network analyser (VNA) test machine for design, research and development (R&D) activities. The establishment of the new CoE also aims to expand the company’s existing business to other potential new markets such as Germany and is expected to recruit an additional of 20 RF Engineers within the state.

Swift Bridge Technologies’ CoE was inaugurated by Y.A.B. Tuan Chow Kon Yeow, Chief Minister of Penang. The ceremony was also attended by Mr SK Chong, Group Managing Director, Swift Bridge Technologies, Y.B. Dato Haji Abdul Halim bin Haji Hussain, EXCO for Trade and Industry, Entrepreneur Development, Dato Abdul Latif Hj Abu Seman, Director General Malaysia Productivity Corporation (MPC), Encik Muhd Ghaddaffi, Director MIDA Penang, Puan Saudah Mat Isa, Director Matrade Penang, Puan Nurul Zahirah Ayob, Director SME Corp Penang, Dato Seri Wong Siew Hai, President MSIA, and Dato Seri Dr Ooi Eng Hock, Chairman 88Captains.

Y.A.B. Tuan Chow Kon Yeow, Chief Minister of Penang congratulated Swift Bridge Technologies on their great efforts and remarked, “The state government will continue to play its role in empowering the growth of our local SMEs, through various initiatives such as the SME Village, Smart Centre, Seed Capital Fund, Penang SME Go Digital campaign and more.”

“It is envisaged that such initiatives will catapult SMEs such as Swift Bridge Technologies to greater heights while also contributing significantly to Penang’s economic growth, in line with the state’s Penang2030 vision of becoming “A Family-Focused Green and Smart State that Inspires the Nation.”, he added.

Datuk Wira Arham Abdul Rahman, Chief Executive Officer of MIDA responded positively, “Swift Bridge Technologies’ expansion from the manufacturing activity to CoE, exhibits the capability of Malaysian company towards producing high value-added and complex products. As the company thrives in making its way to the wider industrial ecosystem, other local companies are encouraged to leverage on Swift Bridge Technologies’ expertise through knowledge and technology transfer which in turn, will assist in developing market-ready talent and contributing to the employability of the country.” 

“The establishment of this CoE is not only crucial for Malaysia’s economic growth but will also stimulate innovation and increase productivity in the country’s development of advanced technologies in the RF industry. It further affirms the Malaysian home-grown capabilities and talent in design, development and research activities while also aligning with the nation’s sustainable investment agenda by focusing on intensifying its research and development (R&D) which is an integral ingredient of Malaysia’s overall development strategy,” he added.

During the launching, Swift Bridge Technologies has also exchanged a Memorandum of Agreements (MoAs) with two companies namely Angkasa-X Innovation Sdn. Bhd., and Eclimo Sdn. Bhd. The formalised partnerships are anticipated to potentially generate a revenue of RM25 million to the company over the next five years.

Pledging their commitment to the growth of Malaysian electrical and electronics (E&E) industry by continuously creating innovative solutions for the advancement in connectivity technology, the company’s strategic plan focusing on R&D enables them to improve the sustainability of its business operations in the long run. Swift Bridge Technologies will continue providing a complete solution from concept to production to their customers. This includes the customised assembly that supports test and measurements, automotive, energy, industrial automation, and cuts across the E&E industry in different countries such as the United States of America, Canada, India and South-East Asia.

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About MIDA

MIDA is the government’s principal investment promotion and development agency under the Ministry of International Trade and Industry (MITI) to oversee and drive investments into the manufacturing and services sectors in Malaysia. Headquartered in Kuala Lumpur Sentral, MIDA has 12 regional and 20 overseas offices. MIDA continues to be the strategic partner to businesses in seizing the opportunities arising from the technology revolution of this era. For more information, please visit www.mida.gov.my and follow us on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn and YouTube channel.

About Swift Bridge Technologies (M) Sdn. Bhd.

Swift Bridge Technologies (M) Sdn. Bhd. was established in 2012 with the goal of being a majority Malaysian-owned company that designed, developed, and manufactured Precision High Radio Frequency (RF) Test Cable Solutions in Malaysia. Swift Bridge Technologies is managed by individuals from both technical and marketing business segments of the electrical & electronics industry who is specializing in high performance cable interconnect solutions, DC thru 110GHz cable interconnect solutions for Oscilloscopes (real time, digital storage, TDR, and BERT), Network Analyzers, and Custom Probe Assemblies.

Swift Bridge Technologies provides a complete solution from concept to production whether customers require a customized assembly from 45 GHz to 110 GHz Precision High Radio Frequency Test Cable.  Swift Bridge Technologies utilizes Solidworks in the mechanical design of enclosures and injection molded components.  Ansoft HFSS and Polar modeling software are utilized in the design of RF connectors and controlled-impedance PCBs.  Swift Bridge Technologies enjoys working with customers and the work environment fosters collaborative participation throughout the design process with seamless transition into production. 

There are two facilities in Swift Bridge Technologies, (1) Malaysian Center of Excellence & Manufacturing Center and (2) the branch office in the USA work together throughout the development process to optimize the product characteristics and utilize local suppliers, effectively creating the greatest value for our customer.  Swift Bridge Technologies’ technical staff comprises engineers, project managers and supply chain management, it then reduces and expedites the development timeline from concept to production.  Swift Bridge Technologies meets with customers to review technical requirements, challenges, cost constraints and propose an optimized product solution that can be successfully marketed within the selected business segment.

Media contacts:

MIDA
Ms. Noor Suziyanti Saad
Director of Electrical and Electronics Division
Email: [email protected]
Tel.: +603 2267 3575

Swift Bridge Technologies
Mr. SK Chong
Managing Director of Swift Bridge Technologies (M) Sdn. Bhd.
Email: [email protected]
Tel.: +6012-4832186

Swift Bridge Technologies Launches Its New Centre of Excellence In Conjunction With 10th Anniversary

KUALA LUMPUR, 4 October 2022 – The Malaysian Investment Development Authority (MIDA) and Halal Development Corporation Berhad (HDC) have  signed a Memorandum  of Understanding (MOU) to form a partnership in boosting the Malaysia’s Halal industry. This strategic collaboration will allow HDC in leveraging the end-to-end  facilitation  by MIDA, to further assist and enhance the industry’s capability and capacity; subsequently propelling our economic growth.

The MOU was signed  by  the  Executive  Director  of  Investment  Facilitation, MIDA, Ms. Jasbir Kaur and HDC Chief Commercial Officer, Tuan Haji Adly Mohamed; and witnessed by MIDA Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Datuk Wira Arham Abdul Rahman and HDC Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Mr. Hairol Ariffein Sahari.

Datuk Wira Arham Abdul Rahman, CEO of MIDA, expressed his appreciation for the partnership in stimulating Malaysia’s business environment particularly in  the  development of the halal industry. He stated, “The signing of today’s MOU further strengthens the successful partnership between  MIDA and  HDC  and  enhances Malaysia’s position as the centre of Halal ecosystem development. This collaboration foresees the broader scope of economic cooperation between the MIDA and HDC, where we have expanded our networks to enhance investment facilitation and at the same time, provides opportunities in new and innovative business and strategic areas that will include projects to increase investment, including Halal parks and co-organising Halal related events.”

“Given the growing role of technology and the increasing importance of its adoption, especially since the global pandemic struck, it is apt to prioritise technology development now and post Covid-19. This  would also be beneficial  to enhance  innovation and technology application in the Halal industry that Malaysia already has succeeded,” he added.

Mr. Hairol Ariffein Sahari, CEO of HDC, said, “To date, Malaysia’s halal parks have attracted a cumulative total of RM16.28 billion in investments since 2011. In 2021, domestic direct investments into Halal Parks has recorded an increase of RM95  million (or 45.7%), signaling that the local halal industry is still growing, despite the many ongoing challenges.”

“We are seeing trend amongst the local players particularly the halal Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) whom are proven to be resilient throughout the Covid-19 pandemic. Despite the challenges,  they strived and  are going for business expansion and diversification to meet the growing demand. Hence, these SMEs are scaling up and looking for suitable  and sizable industrial spaces with a better  infrastructure and ecosystem support which are provided by HDC’s Halal Parks,” he shared.

The collaboration will synchronise the process flow of investment facilitation during pre and post investments between HDC and MIDA. For the year 2021, HDC managed to engage 130 domestic companies with a total of 17 Letter of Intent (LoI) issued into Malaysian Halal Parks with the potential investment of RM133 million. It  is believed  with this two (2) years partnership, 60 per cent of the potential investment will be realised.

The MOU with HDC demonstrates MIDA’s ongoing commitment in pursuing high technology, high value-added and innovative investment projects from both domestic and foreign companies. The partnership is seen as being timely to provide adequate and financial support to industry players, particularly domestic investors, in expanding the Government’s efforts to facilitate investments in Malaysia, which is consistent with the National Investment Aspirations (NIA) framework in driving economic growth.

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About MIDA
MIDA is the government’s principal investment promotion and development agency under the Ministry of International Trade and Industry (MITI) to oversee and drive  investments  into the manufacturing and services sectors in Malaysia. Headquartered in Kuala Lumpur Sentral, MIDA has 12 regional and 20 overseas offices. MIDA continues  to be  the strategic partner to businesses in seizing the opportunities arising from the technology revolution of this era. For more information, please visit www.mida.gov.my and follow us on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn and YouTube channel.

About Halal Development Corporation Berhad (HDC)
Halal Development Corporation Berhad (HDC) spearheads  the development  of Malaysia’s integrated and comprehensive halal ecosystem and infrastructure to position Malaysia as the most competitive country leading the global halal  industry.  Established on 18 September 2006, HDC is also known as the central coordinator that promotes participation and facilitates growth of industry players in the development of Malaysia’s Halal ecosystem. An agency under the Ministry of International  Trade  and  Industry (MITI); it is the world’s first Government-backed halal industry development corporation. For more information, please visit HDC at – www.hdcglobal.com 

For more information, please contact:

MIDA:
Ms. Zabidah Daud
Director of Post Investment Division
Tel: +603 2267 6719 | Email: [email protected]

HDC:
Norsida Ahmad
Corporate Communication Division
Tel: +603 7965 5530 | Email: [email protected]

MIDA and HDC Ink MoU To Woo Foreign and Domestic Investments Into Halmas Halal Parks

Malaysia, Kedah, 30 October 2021 – AT&S Austria Technologie & Systemtechnik (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd is pleased to announce the start of construction of its new Integrated Circuit (IC) Substrates manufacturing facility here in Kulim Hi-Technology Park, Kedah

The groundbreaking ceremony was jointly officiated by YAB Tuan Haji Muhammad Sanusi Md Nor, Chief Minister of Kedah and YB Dato’ Seri Mohamed Azmin Ali, Senior Minister and Minister of International Trade and Industry (MITI).

During his speech, YB Dato’ Seri Mohamed Azmin Ali remarked “Despite the pandemic, companies like AT&S are continuing to expand and grow. I am happy that AT&S has chosen Malaysia to establish its first production plant in Southeast Asia. This is by far the largest investment in the history of AT&S with the total investment of €1.7 billion Euros which is expected to create high skilled job opportunities for over 6,000 Malaysians. This investment is timely because the market environment is bullish with the dynamics of global demand.

I would also like to take this opportunity to congratulate MIDA for the expeditious effort since November 2020 to realise this investment. It is with great pride for me to note that it took only about 12 months for this investment to come to fruition from inception to groundbreaking. Indeed, this groundbreaking ceremony is a much-awaited event for Malaysia, and we are delighted to have one of the key global electrical and electronics (E&E) players here in Kedah.”

Echoing the Senior Minister, Mr. Arham Abdul Rahman, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Malaysian Investment Development Authority (MIDA) remarked, “We are proud that AT&S will join Malaysia’s E&E industry cluster. Our strategic position within ASEAN, our robust pool of talent and our established local supply chains that are well-integrated into the global value chain are undeniable pull factors for investors such as AT&S to choose Malaysia as their springboard into the region. Being the country’s principal investment promotion agency under MITI, MIDA looks forward to working closely with AT&S to support the growth of their operations here in Malaysia.” Despite the global pandemic, MIDA has worked closely with AT&S since November 2020 to realise AT&S’ investment. The One-Stop Centre for Business Travellers, managed by MIDA enables investors to travel to Malaysia with a strict Standard of Procedure (SOP) and make business decisions, which also helped AT&S to set up their manufacturing plant in Kulim, Kedah.

The electrical and electronics (E&E) industry contributes to a significant part of Malaysia’s economy. Malaysia’s E&E manufacturing sector is rapidly evolving, with companies shifting their focus to high-tech, knowledge-intensive and higher-value activities. With the E&E ecosystem in place, MIDA is continuously working towards attracting high-value MNCs to Malaysia.

This AT&S project in Malaysia looks to enhance the development of Malaysia’s semiconductor ecosystem while opening opportunities for local vendors in advanced electronics through industry and training partnerships.

AT&S CEO, Mr. Andreas Gerstenmayer assured, “This step marks a true milestone for AT&S. With our new state-of-the-art factory for IC substrates, we are able to establish a completely new technology sector in Malaysia, one of the future global microelectronics hotspots. We will not only manufacture high-end IC substrates for high-performance processors at our new facility, but also conduct R&D activities at this location. This creates a win-win situation for both, AT&S as well as the Malaysian society as an investment in R&D is an investment in the future of a country.”

“With the AT&S investment in Malaysia, we are creating 6,000 high-tech jobs in the region and will help to set-up the framework for future growth in Malaysia”, says AT&S Chief Operating Officer (COO), Mr. Ingolf Schröeder. “We see it as our natural responsibility as an international company, to truly live our social commitment and our positioning as an inclusive, diverse and responsible employer at any new location.”

MIDA and AT&S had signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to collaborate on long-term research and development partnerships and upskilling programmes with Malaysian universities, training and research institutions, to create highly skilled and high-value-added employment opportunities.  The MOU will see both parties collaborate to uplift Malaysia’s talent competence, especially in high end printed circuit boards (PCB) and IC substrates.

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About MIDA

MIDA is the government’s principal investment promotion and development agency under the Ministry of International Trade and Industry (MITI) to oversee and drive investments into the manufacturing and services sectors in Malaysia. Headquartered in Kuala Lumpur Sentral, MIDA has 12 regional and 20 overseas offices. MIDA continues to be the strategic partner to businesses in seizing the opportunities arising from the technology revolution of this era. For more information, please visit www.mida.gov.my and follow us on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn and YouTube.

About AT&S

AT&S is a leading manufacturer of high-end printed circuit boards and IC substrates. AT&S industrialises leading-edge technologies for its core business segments Mobile Devices & Substrates, Automotive, Industrial and Medical. AT&S has a global presence with production sites in Austria (Leoben, Fehring) and plants in India (Nanjangud), China (Shanghai, Chongqing) and Korea (Ansan near Seoul). The company employs roughly 12,000 people. For further information please visit www.ats.net.

For more information, please contact:

Mr. Gerald Reischl, Director Communications & PR – AT&S AG
Tel.: +43 664 88592452 | Email: [email protected]  

 Ms. WaiQuan Wong, Junzi Communications On behalf of AT&S AG
Tel.: 03+6012-456 0308 | Email: [email protected]  

Ms. Azlina Hamdan, Director, E&E Division, MIDA
Tel.: +603-2267 3791| Email: [email protected]

AT&S ‘Breaks Ground’ On High Technology Manufacturing Facility In Kulim Hi-Technology Park, Malaysia

MIDA Encourages Batik Manufacturers to Automate During the Batik Week 2021

Kuala Lumpur, 29 October 2021 – The Malaysian Investment Development Authority (MIDA), in collaboration with the Malaysian Batik Association, Yayasan Budi Penyayang Malaysia (PENYAYANG), Federation of Malaysian Fashion Textiles and Apparels (FMFTA), and Kraftangan Malaysia, hassuccessfullyorganised a Batik Week from 25 to 29 October 2021. The five-day virtual programme with the theme mooted on “Revitalising Malaysian Batik Industry”, aimed to elevate the Malaysian Batik through adoption of new technology and developing green business models. The Malaysian Government recognises the importance of the cottage industry as the national heritage and the nation’s pride, while the expertise of local craftsmen should be preserved and further enhanced.

YBhg. Dato’ Lokman Hakim, the Secretary General of Ministry of International Trade and Industry said, “The batik industry must be transformed through the adoption of green practices for it to stand out globally. This is critical as it aligns with the Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) principles stipulated in various Government’s policies such as the Twelfth Malaysia Plan, National Investment Aspirations and National Trade Blueprint.”

He added, “Batik designers must strive to marry their creativity with innovation, to ensure our Malaysian batik is more marketable worldwide. Sustainability including technology adoption are strong value propositions that appeal to the international audiences.”

Mr. Arham Abdul Rahman, the Chief Executive Officer of MIDA, highlighted in his welcoming remarks, “Companies should automate and modernise in their bid to reduce overall costs and improve efficiency to compete better, while diversifying their operations into new market”. In line with Malaysia’s IR4.0 initiative, the event explored pathways for local manufacturers, especially the SMEs to embrace technology into the processes of batik making.

He explained, “The Twelfth Malaysian Plan outlines measures to reset the nation’s economy and to build a more resilient nation. In this context, industries’ growth depends upon stronger and comprehensive ecosystem with the right talent, skills and innovation. Moving forward, the Industry 4.0 technologies will be a rudimentary necessity for both the front-end as well as the back-end operations.”

The event showcased pioneer batik entrepreneurs through ‘Batik Showcase’ and Virtual Factory Tours to display their products and brand identity. The sessions created a platform for participants to understand the manufacturing process flow of the Malaysian Batik and its profound opportunities.

“The Batik Industry in Malaysia has set its evolution in place; the industry has matured and has inspired the production of new motifs and has established more new research methods in the batik production. Over the years, it has propagated and promoted the green principles in the batik technology and has diversify in terms of producing more innovative products”, reiterates Ms. Nori Abdullah, Chairman of PENYAYANG.

The event successfully brought together prominent industry stakeholders and more than 500 registered participants including the textile and apparels industry players over the 5 days of Batik Week. In the recent 5 years, MIDA has approved 122 textile and apparels projects with total investments of RM3,174 million, generating 7,538 careers, including skilled positions for engineers, specialised quality controllers and skilled technicians.

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About MIDA

MIDA is the government’s principal investment promotion and development agency under the Ministry of International Trade and Industry (MITI) to oversee and drive investments into the manufacturing and services sectors in Malaysia. Headquartered in Kuala Lumpur Sentral, MIDA has 12 regional and 20 overseas offices. MIDA continues to be the strategic partner to businesses in seizing the opportunities arising from the technology revolution of this era. For more information, please visit www.mida.gov.my and follow us on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn and YouTube channel.

For more information, please contact:

Ms. Najihah Abas, Director, Building Technology and Lifestyle Division, MIDA
Tel.: 03- 2267 6717| Email: [email protected]

Modernising The Batik Industry In Malaysia

Kuala Lumpur, 27 October 2021 – The Malaysian Investment Development Authority (MIDA) with Intel Malaysia and Malaysia Productivity Corporation (MPC) successfully organised the Virtual Artificial Intelligence for SMEs (AI4S) Enhanced Programme for the second time today. The event is a continuation of the first AI4S event held in January this year, where Intel Malaysia awarded AI Starter Kits to 100 selected Malaysian companies. These identified SMEs are currently going through a comprehensive technology enabling process and training to empower them in implementing pilot projects in their business or operation setting to jump-start the Artificial Intelligence (AI) or Industry 4.0 journey.

Today’s AI4S Enhanced Programme saw Intel Malaysia committed to hand out a Field-Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) card to the participant companies. The FPGA card is a powerful tool that enables the AI kit to be five times more powerful than the existing kit.

Mr. Arham Abdul Rahman, Chief Executive Officer of MIDA, reiterates McKinsey’s findings that 50 per cent of the production work time in Malaysia is spent on repetitive activities that are highly automatable. “The AI features can assist to automate routine tasks, augment employees’ capabilities, and allow time to focus on more stimulating and higher value-adding work. If automation is widely adopted, AI could potentially create 6 million new jobs by 2030 in Malaysia with new skills and long-term workforce training will be high in demand. Therefore, it is important for the Government to intervene in overcoming challenges faced by the local companies in adopting AI especially in getting the right expertise and manage financing needs.” he added.

Mr. Ruban Kanagaratnam, Vice President of Intel Programmable Solutions Group (PSG), acknowledged, “Intel Malaysia believes that a major paradigm shift is needed in our attitude towards having a mind set to see technology as an industry; moving from rushing into creation of technology to balance it with the adoption of the new technology because it is the primary reason technology creates value in the nation’s development. The company trust that the domestic players especially SMEs has an equal opportunity to participate in this revolution if the technology is more user friendly, cost competitive and accessible to the local businesses.”

Intel is a leader in artificial intelligence solutions covering both software and hardware and is very passionate about bridging its partners, knowledge and technologies together to help build the local ecosystem in Malaysia. To date, five training sessions involving 93 companies have been successfully carried out by MPC and Intel.

Mr. Arham encourages other MNCs to also follow Intel’s footsteps in contributing back to the nation’s industrial ecosystem and increase the capabilities of domestic companies; while at the same time enhancing the MNC’s value proposition. According to him, MIDA is partnering up with Intel Malaysia to emulate a similar AI4S programme for selected local universities to prepare the future ready workforce in AI for entry level careers, while saving employers’ time and resources for basic AI training and skilling.

In line with the Government’s commitment, MIDA seeks industry leaders and players to leverage on the facilitation by the Government under the Industry4WRD initiative. This includes company undertaking Readiness Assessment (RA) programme to assess its capabilities and readiness to adopt Industry 4.0 technology. For more details, please get in touch with the officials or visit the official website at www.mida.gov.my.

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About MIDA

MIDA is the government’s principal investment promotion and development agency under the Ministry of International Trade and Industry (MITI) to oversee and drive investments into the manufacturing and services sectors in Malaysia. Headquartered in Kuala Lumpur Sentral, MIDA has 12 regional and 20 overseas offices. MIDA continues to be the strategic partner to businesses in seizing the opportunities arising from the technology revolution of this era. For more information, please visit www.mida.gov.my and follow us on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn and YouTube channel.

For more information, please contact:
Mr. Norhizam Ibrahim
Director, Advanced Technology and Research and Development Division, MIDA
Email: [email protected] | DL: +603 2267 6611

The Second Virtual Artificial Intelligence for SMEs (AI4S) Programme, Reaffirms Intel Malaysia’s Support for Domestic Players to Adopt AI

Kuala Lumpur, 22 October 2021 – Mercedes-Benz AG, one of the world’s largest manufacturer of luxury passenger cars has decided to make Malaysia as their Regional Parts Logistics Centre for APAC to manage and distribute an assortment of replacement spare parts and accessories, serving 22 countries.

The company’s new facility in Malaysia will feature a storage capacity of one (1) million square feet and equipped with advanced storage and materials-handling systems to better serve its regional supply chain network.

This move was discussed during the Trade and Investment Mission (TIM) to Germany, led by YB. Dato’ Seri Mohamed Azmin Ali, Senior Minister and Minister of International Trade and Industry (MITI), on 14 October 2021.

YB. Dato’ Seri Mohamed Azmin Ali remarked, “Mercedes-Benz AG’s decision in choosing Malaysia as their regional parts logistics centre for APAC not only signals the company’s continual pursuit for growth but also is an embodiment of the company’s confidence in Malaysia’s conducive ecosystem and our strength to support their long-term growth. It also acknowledges the capability of our local talent of highly skilled engineers, technicians and as the key global supply chain and distribution hub in the region. In line with the Twelfth Malaysia Plan (12MP), the Government will continue to enhance our ease of doing business, logistics and ports networks as well as promote strategic collaboration and industry linkages to increase Malaysia’s competitiveness in the region.”

Mercedes-Benz joins the increasing trend of establishment of global and regional distribution hubs in Malaysia by companies in industries such as automotive, life sciences and medical devices, electrical and electronics (E&E)as well as machinery and equipment (M&E). These companies seek to tap on Malaysia’s strategic location, talent availability as well as our efficient and reliable logistics network and infrastructure such as ports, airports and financial institutions, allowing them to improve operational efficiency as well as optimise quality and speed for their products and services for their customers.

Mr. Arham Abdul Rahman, Chief Executive Officer of the Malaysian Investment Development Authority (MIDA) welcomed Mercedes-Benz AG’s decision to make Malaysia as their Regional Parts Logistics Centre for APAC, saying, “The Government acknowledges the positive spill-overs of quality investments to the development of Malaysia’s business ecosystem. As such, MIDA has been consistent in our efforts to scout and attract quality investments from around the world. This latest investment by Mercedes-Benz AG will assume a critical role to further strengthen the linkages within our local industry, create high value jobs for Malaysians and enhance our country’s positioning as a global supply chain and distribution hub.”

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About MIDA

MIDA is the government’s principal investment promotion and development agency under the Ministry of International Trade and Industry (MITI) to oversee and drive investments into the manufacturing and services sectors in Malaysia. Headquartered in Kuala Lumpur Sentral, MIDA has 12 regional and 20 overseas offices. MIDA continues to be the strategic partner to businesses in seizing the opportunities arising from the technology revolution of this era. For more information, please visit www.mida.gov.my and follow us on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn and YouTube.

For further information, please contact:
Rosedalina Ramlan (Ms.)
Email: [email protected] | DL: +603-2267 3515

Mercedes-Benz AG Chooses Malaysia as Their Regional Parts Logistics Centre for APAC

Senior Minister and Minister of International Trade and Industry, YB Dato’ Seri Mohamed Azmin Ali underscored Malaysia’s commitment in pursuing Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) agenda through the recently unveiled Twelfth Malaysia Plan (RMKe12) and National Investment Aspirations (NIA), to the Government of France during his bilateral meeting with Minister Delegate for Foreign Trade and Economic Attractiveness, His Excellency Franck Riester in Paris.

The session with his counterpart in Paris kick started the Trade and Investment Mission (TIM) to France from 15th to 17th October 2021. During the meeting, Dato’ Seri Azmin highlighted opportunities in Malaysia’s growing green technology sector and Malaysian industry players’ capabilities in this high-value sector.

The Senior Minister further emphasised Malaysia’s firm commitment to support an ecosystem built on the sustainable agenda and shared that Malaysia aims to achieve carbon net-zero greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions at the earliest by 2050, which was warmly welcomed by the French Minister.

Both Ministers had an engaging discussion on topics of mutual interest ranging from economic recovery strategies in the endemic phase, advancing reforms at the World Trade Organisation (WTO), leveraging Malaysia’s position in the mega Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) Agreement to investment and commercial opportunities in renewable energy. The Malaysian delegation also commended France’s renewed interest in the South East Asian region, including Malaysia, and saw this new development as a pathway to further strengthen the ties
between both nations. France’s growing interest in this region was greatly welcomed as France is set to assume the presidency of the Council of the European Union during the first half of 2022.

The Senior Minister held a Roundtable Meeting with Mouvement des Enterprises de France (MEDEF) International which saw the participation of 17 prominent companies including industry captains for aerospace, defence, transportation, chemical & chemical industry, machinery & equipment, Information Technology, inspection & certification and banking sectors. The key takeaway was the reassurances by the Senior Minister that Malaysia will continue to be a strategic business partner with clear and predictable policies, and the Government remains steadfast in further developing the industrial ecosystems in Malaysia. It is truly encouraging that French companies valued Malaysia as their chosen destination to establish or to expand their footprint in South East Asia and the Asia Pacific, leveraging on the business-friendly policies of the Malaysian Government.

Dato’ Seri Azmin also witnessed the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the Malaysian Investment Development Authority (MIDA) and MEDEF International. The strategic partnership between MIDA and MEDEF International will complement Malaysia’s NIA through expanded cooperation aiming to facilitate the nation’s industrial ecosystem with the catalytic infrastructure and new technologies.

The Malaysian delegation also had a series of one-to-one sessions with French companies notably Airbus, Saint-Gobain, Adisseo Group, Prolaser and Innovafeed, where the delegation expressed a strong interest to strengthen the footprints of Malaysian products in Europe through France, During these sessions, the French enterprises showed great interest to continue making Malaysia their business partner in the aerospace, biotechnology, advanced chemical, medical devices, halal products and the construction sectors. Malaysia’s strong focus on the green agenda in charting
the country’s economic development also provided the French businesses assurance that Malaysia is moving in tandem with world megatrends.

The TIM to France had successfully generated a total of RM2.6 billion potential investment and RM300 million worth of potential exports, validating the success of Malaysia’s continuous efforts in attracting quality investment and in enhancing participation of local companies in high value global supply chain. The strong interest shown by French companies garnered during the Mission serves as a major catalyst in expanding the bilateral trade and investment relations, most notably in areas that support the sustainable and green agenda advocated by both nations.

MINISTRY OF INTERNATIONAL TRADE AND INDUSTRY (MITI)
18 OCTOBER 2021

About MITI
MITI is the key driver in making Malaysia the preferred destination for quality investments and enhancing the nation’s rising status as a globally competitive trading nation. Its objectives and roles are oriented towards ensuring Malaysia’s rapid economic development and help achieve the country’s stated goal of becoming a developed nation.

Media enquiries:
Strategic Communications Unit, MITI
Tel : +603 62000083
Fax : + 603 62064293
Email : [email protected]

Malaysia And France Move Forward Together In Strengthening Bilateral Ties With Investment Opportunities In The Sustainable Economy

Paris, 18 October 2021 – Senior Minister and Minister of International Trade and Industry (MITI), YB. Dato’ Seri Mohamed Azmin Ali witnessed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) signing between the Malaysian Investment Development Authority (MIDA) and MEDEF International, the French private business network abroad. The MOU formalises the continuous partnership between both organisations to further encourage, promote and facilitate potential investments and business cooperation for mutually beneficial outcomes.

The MOU was signed by Mr. Arham Abdul Rahman, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of MIDA and Mr. Philippe Gautier, CEO of MEDEF International, during the roundtable meeting with MEDEF International’s France – Malaysia Business Council members.

Also present at the signing ceremony were His Excellency Dato’ Mohd Zamruni Khalid, the Ambassador of Malaysia to France; Mr. Hairil Yahri Yaacob, Deputy Secretary General (Trade) of MITI; and Mr. Mohd Mustafa Abdul Aziz, CEO of Malaysia External Trade Development Corporation (MATRADE).

Economic ties between Malaysia and France have flourished over the years driven by solid diplomatic foundations laid by leaders of both countries. This is evident through the increasing number of French companies investing in Malaysia. As of December 2020, a total of 126 manufacturing projects with French participation have been implemented in Malaysia, with total investments worth RM4.36 billion (USD1.31 billion), creating more than 10,900 jobs.

Underscoring the significance of the MOU, Dato’ Seri Azmin remarked, “France has had a long presence in Malaysia’s manufacturing and services sectors. Recognising the synergies between the French innovative capabilities and Malaysia’s value proposition, we are confident that there will be more French investors, investing particularly within high value and high technology fields such as transport equipment (aerospace), ICT, pharmaceutical, scientific and measuring equipment, electrical and electronics, food, chemical and chemical products as well as machinery and equipment. Concurrently, we hope that these investments will spur more talent development programmes to future proof our workforce, building upon our National Investment Aspirations (NIA) and the Twelfth Malaysian Plan (12MP) towards 2025.”

Mr. Arham Abdul Rahman elaborated, “Given MEDEF International’s invaluable global network in more than 120 markets, this partnership will enable more Malaysian businesses and technology providers to better connect with the global supply chain. The Government of Malaysia, through MIDA will continue to work closely with MEDEF International to further boost and realise French investments in Malaysia.”

Mr. Philippe Gautier also expressed his pleasure to further deepen the partnership between both organisations, saying “MIDA and MEDEF International have established a long and close relationship over many years. MEDEF International’s France-Malaysia Business Council, in particular, has been actively meeting and engaging with Malaysian public authorities and private sector decision-makers for three (3) decades through a number of business missions to Kuala Lumpur. We have also continued to work virtually with MIDA over the past two (2) years since the pandemic to foster opportunities and connect more French companies with Malaysian businesses. We look forward to more future collaborations in building dynamic bilateral relations.”

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About MIDA
MIDA is the Government’s principal investment promotion and development agency under the Ministry of International Trade and Industry (MITI) to oversee and drive investments into the manufacturing and services sectors in Malaysia. Headquartered in Kuala Lumpur Sentral, MIDA has 12 regional and 20 overseas offices. MIDA continues to be the strategic partner to businesses in seizing the opportunities arising from the technology revolution of this era. For more information, please visit www.mida.gov.my and follow us on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn and YouTube.

About MEDEF International
MEDEF International is the French private business network abroad; chaired by Mr. Frederic Sanchez, CEO of FIVES GROUP. MEDEF International aims at promoting the French companies’ know-how abroad through collective actions. MEDEF International supports trade, technologic cooperation and investments, long-term partnerships, especially on emerging and developing markets as well as reconstruction markets.

For more information, please contact:

Mr. Faizal Jalaludin
Director, Foreign Investment Promotion Division, MIDA
Phone: +603 2267 6633
Email: [email protected]

Ms. Priyanka Ramatchandirane
Project Officer – South-East Asia & Oceania
MEDEF International
Phone: +331 5359 1632
Email: [email protected]

MIDA and MEDEF International Ink Strategic Partnership to Support Investment Opportunities and Business Cooperation

Kuala Lumpur, 18 October 2021 – H&R GmbH & Co. KGaA announced that it will be investing RM200 million in a speciality manufacturing plant in Lumut, Perak. The leading global sustainable refiner and marketer of speciality plasticisers, extender oils, softeners and waxes, headquartered in Hamburg, Germany has more than 100 years of experience operating speciality refineries in manufacturing plants around the world.

H&R announced its investment plan during the meeting between H&R and the Trade and Investment Mission (TIM) to Germany delegation led by YB. Dato’ Seri Mohamed Azmin Ali, Senior Minister and Minister of International Trade and Industry (MITI).

The Group will be establishing a new entity, H&R Chempharm Asia Sdn. Bhd., which will focus on the production of environmentally friendly plasticisers for tyre and rubber applications as well as technical and medicinal white oils for food, pharmaceutical, cosmetics and polymer applications with the new introductory of bio-based products. This investment is anticipated to create 70 new jobs in Malaysia.

H&R plans to kickstart the construction of their facility by March 2022, followed by commencement of production in early 2024. The project will tentatively be carried out in three (3) phases, with a designed capacity of 150,000 tons per annum. Phase I and Phase II will be dedicated to the production of speciality plasticisers, white oils and wax emulsions from mineral, synthetic and renewable resources; Phase III will focus on the production of renewables through uniquely designed synthesising technologies.

Apart from H&R Chempharm Asia Sdn. Bhd., H&R has two (2) existing facilities in Malaysia, namely H&R Malaysia Sdn. Bhd. and H&R Malaysia Wax Sdn. Bhd. in Port Klang and Batu Caves, respectively. These facilities have been in operations since 1990, producing wax speciality emulsions as well as undertaking marketing and distribution activities of various specialty oils and waxes.

YB. Dato’ Seri Mohamed Azmin Ali remarked, “H&R’s investment announcement reflects foreign investors’ confidence in Malaysia’s business environment that remains conducive. The Group has indicated clear goals to reduce its dependency on fossil-based feedstock towards renewable or hybrid feedstock for more sustainable products and speciality applications; eventually to reach carbon neutral in its operation by 2035. This is in line with Malaysia’s commitment to drive reforms in achieving carbon net-zero greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 2050. This strategic investment will further support and drive Malaysia’s commitment towards Environment, Social and Governance (ESG) values and advancing green growth as outlined in the Twelfth Malaysian Plan (12MP).”

Mr. Arham Abdul Rahman, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Malaysian Investment Development Authority (MIDA) echoed the Senior Minister, saying, “It is encouraging to see H&R further enhance their venture towards bio-based products in Malaysia. This is a testament to our well-established chemical industry ecosystem that has been an important catalyst to other industries such as automotive, food, medical devices and pharmaceuticals. MIDA, through our Project Acceleration and Coordination Unit (PACU) will work closely with H&R to provide end-to-end facilitation in ensuring the smooth implementation of their project in Malaysia.”

Mr. Niels H. Hansen, CEO and Chairman of the Executive Board of H&R, shared, “The strategic direction and vision of the Malaysian Government for a carbon neutral economy definitely strengthens our determination to further invest in the country. Our investment in Lumut, Perak aims to contribute to a more sustainable growth, focusing on de-fossilisation.”

He further added, “Malaysia, centrally positioned in Southeast Asia, is a sustainable manufacturing hub with rich resources, in both mineral and renewable feedstock, to serve the ASEAN community. As an industry leader in the manufacture and marketing of speciality niche products, we intend to develop a hybrid business model in our project in Lumut to transition production of mineral-based products to renewable specialties with locally sourced feedstock to supply to our global customers who are producing in the region.”

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About MIDA

MIDA is the government’s principal investment promotion and development agency under the Ministry of International Trade and Industry (MITI) to oversee and drive investments into the manufacturing and services sectors in Malaysia. Headquartered in Kuala Lumpur Sentral, MIDA has 12 regional and 20 overseas offices. MIDA continues to be the strategic partner to businesses in seizing the opportunities arising from the technology revolution of this era. For more information, please visit www.mida.gov.my and follow us on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn and YouTube.

About H&R Malaysia

H&R GmbH & Co. KGaA, headquartered in Hamburg, Germany, is a leading global sustainable refiner and marketer of speciality plasticisers, extender oils, softeners and waxes. H&R operates speciality refineries in manufacturing plants around the world and owns as a shareholder a bio speciality refinery in the USA.

For further information, please contact:

Surayu Susah (Ms.)
Email: [email protected] | DL: +603-2267 6773

Sritharen Kittappa (Mr.)
Email: [email protected] | DL: +603 31768314 / +60 0193216894

Hansen & Rosenthal (H&R) Group Renews Commitment To Malaysia With Additional RM200 million Investment

The Expansion Plan was announced duringTrade and Investment Mission (TIM) to Germany led by Senior Minister and Minister of International Trade and Industry

Kuala Lumpur, 15 October 2021 – BASF PETRONAS Chemicals Sdn. Bhd. (“BPC”), a joint venture between BASF and PETRONAS Chemicals Group Berhad (“PCG”), plans to expand its annual production capacity of 2-Ethylhexanoic Acid (2-EHA) at its Verbund site in Gebeng Industrial Area, Kuantan, Pahang. This milestone looks to not only strengthen the Company’s presence in Asia but to also meet the demands of their customers worldwide.

BPC’s announcement was one of the key discussion points during the meeting between BASF, represented by Dr. Markus Kamieth, Member of the Board of Executive Directors of BASE SE and the Trade and Investment Mission’s (TIM) delegation to Germany, led by YB. Dato’ Seri Mohamed Azmin Ali, Senior Minister and Minister of International Trade and Industry (MITI), on 13 October 2021.

YB. Dato’ Seri Mohamed Azmin Ali commended the BPC project and expansion plan in Malaysia, saying: “BPC, as a fully integrated oil and gas multinational has been instrumental in propelling the growth and further value-adding to the Malaysia’s speciality chemical ecosystem. The Government, through MITI and MIDA will continue to provide the requisite assistance to the Company to realise their future plans, reinforcing our commitment to attract and sustain quality investments in the country. This is crucial as our industries manufacture for a cleaner, greener, more sustainable future in line with the Environment, Social and Governance values (ESG) under the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UNSDG).”

Apart from the production site in Kuantan, Malaysia, BASF produces 2-EHA at its Verbund site in Ludwigshafen, Germany. BPC proposes to increase its annual production capacity of 2-EHA from 30,000 to 60,000 metric tons by 2024.

Mr. Vasilios Galanos, Senior Vice President, Intermediates Asia Pacific of BASF commented, “We are committed to supporting our customers’ growing demand in various 2-EHA downstream applications such as synthetic lubricants for the white goods industry and PVB plasticisers for safety glass production in the construction and automotive segments. With the increased capacity, we continue to ensure persistent supply capability in Asia Pacific with the highest standard of product quality.”

Datuk Sazali Hamzah, Managing Director and CEO of PCG further elaborated, “2-EHA has been an integral part of BPC’s growth and it is timely that the expansion is planned to capture the growing market. The expansion is also in line with PCG’s sustainable growth strategy to expand our portfolio with higher value products. By leveraging the existing integration between BPC and other PCG plants in the Kuantan Verbund site, we are able to maximise our value chain by improving the quality and cost competitiveness of our products and continue delivering innovative solutions to our customers.”

Mr. Marko Murtonen, Managing Director of BPC also mentioned, “This expansion marks another milestone of the well-established partnership between BASF and PCG. It reinforces our commitment to expand local production to meet our growing customer demand competitively. Additionally, it caters to a rising trend on high quality products combined with production efficiency that is well integrated into the sustainability targets of our parent companies.”

Mr. Arham Abdul Rahman, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Malaysian Investment Development Authority (MIDA) remarked, “The strategic venture between BASF and PCG since 1997 is among the commendable success stories in shaping the development of the chemical industry in Malaysia. BPC expansion plan is timely to strengthen the country’s chemical industry towards producing higher value-added offerings such as speciality chemicals and market-driven chemical products, which will drive the growth and development of the entire value chain.”

“Towards this, MIDA will continuously strive to improve the business landscape in Malaysia and be ever-ready to facilitate our stakeholders to spearhead the investment agenda of the country in line with the Twelfth Malaysian Plan (12MP) and our National Investment Aspirations (NIA),” he added. 

2-EHA is a chemical intermediate used as a compound in the production of synthetic lubricants as well as oil additives. It is also used in functional fluids such as automotive coolants, metal salts for paint dryers, plasticisers, stabilisers and catalysts in various industries.

***

About MIDA

MIDA is the government’s principal investment promotion and development agency under the Ministry of International Trade and Industry (MITI) to oversee and drive investments into the manufacturing and services sectors in Malaysia. Headquartered in Kuala Lumpur Sentral, MIDA has 12 regional and 20 overseas offices. MIDA continues to be the strategic partner to businesses in seizing the opportunities arising from the technology revolution of this era. For more information, please visit www.mida.gov.my and follow us on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn and YouTube.

For further enquiries, please contact:
Surayu Susah (Ms)
Email: [email protected] | DL: +603-2267 6773

About BASF PETRONAS Chemicals Sdn. Bhd.

BASF PETRONAS Chemicals Sdn. Bhd. is a Malaysia-based joint venture between BASF and Petroliam Nasional Berhad (PETRONAS), Malaysia’s fully integrated oil and gas multinational, under its subsidiary PETRONAS Chemicals Group Berhad (PCG). Incorporated in 1997, the company operates an integrated ‘Verbund’ site situated in the Gebeng Industrial Zone, Pahang. The company’s share capital is 60% held by BASF and 40% held by PCG. Key products include acrylic monomers, oxo products, 2-ethylhexanoic acid, highly reactive polyisobutene and aroma ingredients.

For more information, visit our website www.basf-petronas.com.my

BASF Petronas Chemicals to Ramp-Up Production In Kuantan, Malaysia

Kuala Lumpur, 8 October 2021 – The Malaysian Investment Development Authority (MIDA) signed a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) with Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM), Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM) and Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM) for the implementation of the MIDA Assessment Development Center (MADC) HyTalent Programme. The signing ceremony was witnessed by YB. Dato’ Seri Mohamed Azmin Ali, Senior Minister and Minister of International Trade and Industry (MITI). 

“The MADC HyTalent Programme embodies the Twelfth Malaysian Plan (12MP) roadmap to develop and equip future talent with Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) skill sets that are important for them to keep pace with the rapid changes in technological advancement and meet industry demands. Through this strategic partnership, the Government anticipates a more skilled and diverse Malaysian workforce, particularly in the manufacturing sector as the Programme is uniquely structured to provide trainees with intensive leadership and technical training in the field of Internet of Things (IoT) and Industrial Internet of Things (IIOT),” said YB. Dato’ Seri Mohamed Azmin Ali.

The MADC HyTalent Programme syllabus is established in collaboration with local universities together with international and local industry players to bridge the gap between the supply of local engineers and the demand of the industry, especially in the field of IoT and IIOT. It comprises a 6-month live-in pilot programme combined with a 6-month internship duration to develop fresh graduates in a structured leadership and technical training to meet the needs of Malaysia’s industries. 

YB. Dato’ Seri Mohamed Azmin Ali further added, “The MADC HyTalent Programme anticipates to train 500 trainees in the field of IoT and IIOT to be employed at participating Malaysian companies with a higher than average compensation or salary after graduation.  This is a testament to the Government’s continuous focus on creating high-value jobs to ensure Malaysians reap the long-term benefits of investments in the country, in tandem to enhancing the overall industry’s ecosystem to drive sustainable economic growth on the road to recovery post COVID-19.”

The Programme is approved under the special COVID-19 Fund (Kumpulan Wang Covid19 (2021 – 2022)) by the Government to stimulate Malaysia’s current economy amidst the pandemic, with special emphasis towards addressing unemployment.  

MIDA Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Arham Abdul Rahman iterated, “At MIDA, we have always highly valued public-private partnerships. Hence, we are excited to partner with UKM, UTM and UPM for the implementation of the MADC HyTalent Programme, whereby these reputable universities will provide the much-needed personnel equipped suitably with the relevant qualifications and experience to support our fresh graduates. This is to groom future leaders with the essential talents of technical and soft skills as required by the industry.”

“MIDA, under the stewardship of MITI will also continue in our mandate to facilitate high-technology, knowledge-based and capital-intensive investments that generate multiplier effects on Malaysia’s economy, including generating quality jobs. We hope that this will ultimately contribute towards increasing the country’s productivity, efficiency and global competitiveness as an investment destination regardless of the global economic sentiments,” he added.

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About MIDA

MIDA is the government’s principal investment promotion and development agency under the Ministry of International Trade and Industry (MITI) to oversee and drive investments into the manufacturing and services sectors in Malaysia. Headquartered in Kuala Lumpur Sentral, MIDA has 12 regional and 20 overseas offices. MIDA continues to be the strategic partner to businesses in seizing the opportunities arising from the technology revolution of this era. For more information, please visit www.mida.gov.my and follow us on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn and YouTube.

For further enquiries, please contact:

Aizah Abdullah (Ms)
Email: [email protected] | DL: +603-2267 3529

MIDA Partners with Local Universities to Drive Industry 4.0 Readiness Among Fresh Graduates

Malaysia’s First Lighthouse Spearheading the Nation’s Industry 4.0 Aspirations

KUALA LUMPUR, 5 October 2021 – The World Economic Forum (WEF) has recognised and awarded the Western Digital factory at Batu Kawan, Penang, Malaysia as the latest entrant to its Global Lighthouse Network (GLN). This is a community of world-leading companies that have succeeded in the adaptation of the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) at scale.

The World Economic Forum Global Lighthouse Network recognises production sites and value chains that are world leaders in the adoption and integration of the cutting-edge technologies of the 4IR.

Lighthouses apply 4IR technologies such as artificial intelligence, 3D-printing and big data analytics to maximise efficiency and competitiveness at scale, transform business models and drive economic growth, while augmenting the workforce, protecting the environment and contributing to a learning journey for all-sized manufacturers across all geographies and industries.

In congratulating Western Digital, Batu Kawan (Malaysia) on its achievement at the press conference held today, Mr. Arham Abdul Rahman, Chief Executive Officer of the Malaysian Investment Development Authority (MIDA), remarked, “Western Digital’s operations in Batu Kawan, Penang has brought significant benefits to local players by resetting the benchmark of operational, financial and sustainability levels.

“This project will be a precursor and example to the rest of the industry in addressing sustainability and growth in intense global competition. This revolution is in line with Malaysia’s National Investment Aspirations as well as the Twelfth Malaysian Plan (12MP) initiatives as Malaysia embarks on economic recovery and reinforces its global supply chain.”

Mr. Arham added, “Western Digital, Batu Kawan (Malaysia), as the first Lighthouse in the country, will serve as a beacon for local industry players to improve their operations by effectively implementing 4IR technologies.

“MIDA is confident that more multinationals and local conglomerates will follow Western Digital’s footsteps in transforming their operations, as well as their supply chain in Malaysia to effectively adopt new technologies.

“We welcome companies to participate in the national-level Lighthouse Programme to support local companies to integrate into the lighthouse network, embracing innovation and operational efficiency that will eventually benefit Malaysia’s economic ecosystem.”

The CEO of Western Digital, Mr David Goeckeler affirmed that “Today’s recognition by the WEF Lighthouse Network is an honour and a testament of our leadership efforts in 4IR with both technology innovation and workforce engagement.”

“In a world that is increasingly technology-enabled and technology-dependent, we understand that the responsibility we have to the future of industry has never been more critical. As the world’s leading data infrastructure provider, we are committed to enabling sustainable growth and transformation across our facilities around the world to deliver value to our customers, employees, and partners,” he further added.

Spearheading by example is Malaysia’s Western Digital factory at Batu Kawan, Penang which has been recognised as part of the network. Of the 90 total sites within the network globally, Western Digital is the first company in Malaysia to receive this distinction.

The company applied technology innovations such as artificial intelligence, robotics, automation, advanced analytics and the Industrial Internet of Things (IIOT) – to achieve transformational change at its facility in Batu Kawan, Penang, Malaysia. This includes automating production and logistics to deliver 32 per cent factory cost improvement, reducing product inventory and order lead time by 50 per cent.

Beyond technology, workforce development is another key focus area for the Western Digital Batu Kawan factory. The site rolled out a comprehensive IIOT Academy program to educate and nurture its talents to cultivate a new way of thinking with the adoption of 4IR technologies. The IIOT Academy program includes strategic partnerships with local universities and international platforms to upskill employees at all levels.

The GLN also lists sustainability as one of its key criteria. Western Digital is committed to its sustainability efforts, and this presents a great opportunity to collaborate with WEF on this new frontier.

“Increased global concern for environmental impact has made sustainability a must-have to maintain business viability,” said Francisco Betti, Head of Shaping the Advanced Manufacturing and Value Chains, World Economic Forum.

“The selected Sustainability Lighthouses make it clear that by realising the potential of 4IR technologies in manufacturing, companies can unlock new levels of sustainability in their operations and explore a win-win solution: greater operational competitiveness while simultaneously making commitments to environmental stewardship, leading in a cleaner, more sustainable future as a result,” he further added.

MIDA is committed to pursue the strategies outlined in the National Policy of Industry 4.0 (Industry4WRD), aimed to develop Malaysia as a high-tech nation. The 12MP highlights technology adoption and innovation are to catalyse growth across all sectors; while productivity growth is expected to be led by the manufacturing sector, growing at 4.3% per year over the next five years (2021 to 2025). The digitalisation process will be accelerated and the adoption of advanced technology, particularly the 4IR technologies, will be promoted through various Government facilitations.

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About Global Lighthouse Network

The Global Lighthouse Network is a community of production sites and other facilities that are world leaders in the adoption and integration of the cutting-edge technologies of the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR). Lighthouses apply 4IR technologies such as artificial intelligence, 3D-printing and big data analytics to maximise efficiency and competitiveness at scale, transform business models and drive economic growth, while augmenting the workforce, protecting the environment, and contributing to a learning journey for all-sized manufacturers across all geographies and industries. The Global Lighthouse Network is a World Economic Forum project in collaboration with McKinsey & Co; factories and value chains that join the Network are designated by an independent panel of experts.

About Western Digital

Western Digital creates environments for data to thrive. As a leader in data infrastructure, the company is driving the innovation needed to help customers capture, preserve, access and transform an ever-increasing diversity of data. Everywhere data lives, from advanced data centers to mobile sensors to personal devices, our industry-leading solutions deliver the possibilities of data. Western Digital data-centric solutions are comprised of the Western Digital®, G-Technology™, SanDisk® and WD® brands.

About MIDA

MIDA is the government’s principal investment promotion and development agency under the Ministry of International Trade and Industry (MITI) to oversee and drive investments into the manufacturing and services sectors in Malaysia. Headquartered in Kuala Lumpur Sentral, MIDA has 12 regional and 20 overseas offices. MIDA continues to be the strategic partner to businesses in seizing the opportunities arising from the technology revolution of this era. For more information, please visit www.mida.gov.my and follow us on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn and YouTube.

For media enquiries, please contact:

Norhizam Ibrahim (Mr.)
Email: [email protected] | DL: +603-2267 6611

Mustard Tree Communications PLT (on behalf of Western Digital, Batu Kawan, Malaysia)
Ray Chin / Kelly Lee / Shanty Dass / Jade Wong
6018 203 1004 / 6016 237 0681 / 6012 747 2814 / 6012 219 5289
[email protected]/ [email protected]/ [email protected]/ [email protected]

Western Digital WEF Lighthouse Network

Kuala Lumpur, 27 October 2020 – Nippon Electric Glass (Malaysia) Sdn. Bhd. (NEGM) will be expanding its production capacity of glass tubing for pharmaceutical use at its Shah Alam, Selangor facility. This RM200 million investment project has been approved by the Malaysian Investment Development Authority (MIDA) in July 2020 and is expected to start operations by the end of October 2020.

NEGM is a subsidiary of the Nippon Electric Glass Co., Ltd. (NEG), a leading Japanese speciality glass manufacturer, producing high-grade pharmaceutical glass tubing used for pharmaceutical containers such as ampoules and vials. The Group supplies its products to laboratories and medical institutions worldwide. To date, NEG has invested more than RM6 billion in Malaysia on various products such as cathode ray tube (CRT), glass fibre and architectural glass.

In recent years, the steady advancements in medical technology have increased the demand for high-grade pharmaceutical glass tubing globally. Moreover, as COVID-19 vaccines are being developed around the world, concerns are raised on risks of the limited supply of the necessary containers used during clinical trials. Therefore, the Company hopes to play its part to control the COVID-19 pandemic and its eventual cure in vaccine production by ramping up the production capacity of its niche product.

Dato’ Azman Mahmud, Chief Executive Officer of MIDA, welcomed NEGM’s expansion saying, “Malaysia is proud to be the preferred location for NEGM projects since its establishment here in 1991. As the only company in the region producing high-grade glass tubing for pharmaceutical use, this expansion reinforces our reputation as a sustainable and profitable investment destination for companies looking to do business in ASEAN and beyond.”

“Moreover, NEGM expansion is timely as the Company seeks to increase its production to not only expound on the industry’s growth but to carry out its humanitarian role in responding to the market’s needs during this pandemic. We look forward to NEGM’s successes and continual participation in Malaysia’s industrial ecosystem through on-going talent and vendor development programmes. Together, we can achieve more despite the challenging business climate,” he added.

At present, NEGM employs approximately 1,000 Malaysian workers. Its latest project will increase the Group’s production capacity of glass tubing for pharmaceutical use by about 1,000 tons per month. This translates to a 30 per cent increase in the Company’s current production capacity.

Although the spread of the COVID-19 outbreak had temporarily delayed the construction for the expansion undertaking, work has resumed with the facilitation of MIDA and local authorities, with strict adherence to prevailing standard operating procedures (SOPs).

Indeed, since the 1980s, Japan has been among Malaysia’s largest source of foreign direct investments in the manufacturing sector. As at December 2019, a total of 2,712 manufacturing projects with Japanese participation, valued at RM88.2 billion have been implemented in Malaysia, creating more than 346,000 jobs. Further to this, a total of RM1.1 billion in investments with Japanese interest were approved in the first half of 2020. These investments were primarily in the industries of food manufacturing products, electrical and electronics, transport equipment, machinery and equipment, wood and wood products, as well as paper, printing and publishing.

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About MIDA

MIDA is the Government’s principal investment promotion and development agency under the Ministry of International Trade and Industry (MITI) to oversee and drive investments into the manufacturing and services sectors in Malaysia. Headquartered in Kuala Lumpur Sentral, MIDA has 12 regional and 20 overseas offices. MIDA continues to be the strategic partner to businesses in seizing the opportunities arising from the technology revolution of this era. For more information, please visit www.mida.gov.my and follow us on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook, LinkedIn and YouTube channel.

About Nippon Electric Glass Co., Ltd. (https://www.neg.co.jp/en/)

Nippon Electric Glass Co., Ltd. (Head Office: Otsu, Shiga Prefecture, Japan; President: Motoharu Matsumoto) is a leading company in specialty glass. NEG develops and supplies high value-added and innovative products in growth fields such as medical, display, automotive, information and communication, semiconductors and energy. In the medical field, addition to glass tubing for pharmaceutical use, NEG also produces among others radiation shielding glass, deep ultraviolet-transmitting glass and antibacterial glass.

About Nippon Electric Glass (Malaysia) Sdn. Bhd.

Nippon Electric Glass (Malaysia) Sdn. Bhd. (Location: Shah Alam, Selangor, Malaysia; Managing Director: Masaya Kubo) was established on 1991 as a Nippon Electric Glass group company. NEGM mainly produces glass fiber and glass tubing for pharmaceutical use, and is the largest production base for the supplies of these products within Nippon Electric Glass Group.

For more information, please contact: 

Ms. Najihah Abas 

Director of Building Technology and Lifestyle Division, MIDA 

Tel.: 03-2267 6717 | Email: [email protected]

Mr. Abdul Nasir Abu Bakar 

General Affairs Division, NEGM 

Tel: 03-5543 0000

Nippon Electric Glass Increases Production Capacity in Malaysia for Pharmaceutical Glass Tubing in Anticipation for COVID-19 Vaccines

MIDA Strengthens Efforts to Improve Its Delivery System for Investors

Kuala Lumpur, 21 October 2020 – The Malaysian Investment Development Authority (MIDA) has been consistent in implementing its digital transformation initiative or Enterprise Transformation System (e-TRANS) by strengthening its delivery system for ease of doing business for investors in Malaysia.

Dato’ Azman Mahmud, Chief Executive Officer of MIDA said, “As the nation’s principal investment promotion and development authority with 53 years of experience in driving Malaysia’s investment agenda, MIDA is fully aware that we have to live through the current and future digital revolution. We have been spearheading various on-the-ground initiatives through MIDA’s Automation Project Initiatives, Supply Chain Programmes and Lighthouse Programme to enable our industry players to adopt Industry 4.0 technology drivers such as Internet of Things (IoT), Artificial Intelligence (AI), cybersecurity and big data.”

“Moreover, observing the Government’s call to accelerate the digitalisation of the government delivery services in this new normal, we have been intensifying our efforts to re-engineer our business processes to raise the efficiency of the various functions at MIDA. We are optimistic that this will increase the ease of doing business for our stakeholders; ultimately, helping companies to prioritise the implementation of their projects in Malaysia,” he added.

Following the announcement of PENJANA on 5 June 2020, MIDA established [email protected] or the Project Acceleration and Coordination Unit. This proactive unit is tasked to provide end-to-end facilitation to all projects approved by the National Committee of Investment (NCI), enabling the timely implementation of investment projects in the country. Given that business as usual approaches will no longer work in this new normal, PACU is part of the Government’s bold initiatives to ensure impactful accomplishments that can revitalise the economy and bring tangible benefits to all stakeholders.

In efforts to accelerate the necessary approvals to expedite the execution of projects, the e-Manufacturing Licence (e-ML) module and its subsequently enhanced version of e-ML 2.0 module was launched by MIDA. This is a new digital platform for applications of Manufacturing Licences for new, expansion or diversification projects; or the Confirmation Letter for the Exemption from Manufacturing Licence (ICA10). Eligible applications submitted through this module will be approved within two business days for non-sensitive industries and up to 4 weeks for sensitive industries. Since its inception, a total of 338 applications have been approved.

In July 2020, MIDA also launched its enhanced JPC Online Application Module, which is the online module for customs duties exemption applications.

Most recently, an e-Incentive module that covers incentive applications for promoted activities and products listed on the General and Small-scale Companies List under the Promotion of Investment Act 1986 has been introduced, with plans to further expand its scope in the future.

These online modules enable MIDA’s stakeholders to submit their applications on a secure online platform. These platforms are also integrated and accessible by related Ministries and Agencies to ensure the flow of data and information, mitigating possible duplications and easing cross-referencing.

Moreover, following the re-opening of economic sectors in phases by the Government, a One-Stop-Centre (OSC) has been established at MIDA to evaluate applications of eligible business travellers to enter Malaysia for trade and investment purposes. Managed by MIDA with representatives from the Immigration Department, Ministry of Health (MOH) and Ministry of International Trade and Industry (MITI), the OSC assumes a critical role in ensuring that Malaysia remains steady on the path of economic recovery and growth, by enabling executive and essential personnel to travel to, and continue their work in Malaysia.

Going forward, the [email protected] will organise on-going webinars on relevant topics, particularly regarding mechanisms in place to kick-start investment projects in Malaysia, information on utilities offered by service providers, as well as new regulations and guidelines introduced by the Government. It is hoped that by providing this platform for the business communities to engage and network with relevant authorities and stakeholders, it will enable the efficient and timely realisation of approved projects in Malaysia.

For more information and enquiries on [email protected], investors can contact PACU at +603-2267 3633 / +603-22673473 or email [email protected]

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About MIDA

MIDA is the Government’s principal investment promotion and development agency under the Ministry of International Trade and Industry (MITI) to oversee and drive investments into the manufacturing and services sectors in Malaysia. Headquartered in Kuala Lumpur Sentral, MIDA has 12 regional and 20 overseas offices. MIDA continues to be the strategic partner to businesses in seizing the opportunities arising from the technology revolution of this era. For more information, please visit www.mida.gov.my and follow us on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook, LinkedIn and YouTube channel.

For more information, please contact:

Ms. Noor Aieda Ahmad 

Director of Post Investment and Infrastructure Support Division, MIDA 

Tel.: 03-2267 6688 | Email: [email protected]

Adoption of Digital Technology

Kuala Lumpur, 8 October 2020 – In line with the Government’s commitment to further cement the country’s position as a preferred destination for FDIs, the Government has decided to establish a One-Stop-Centre (OSC) at the Malaysian Investment Development Authority (MIDA). The OSC will evaluate and approve applications by eligible business travellers to enter Malaysia for trade and investment purposes.

These travellers will be required to offer evidence of compliance to the strict SOPs and other necessary conditions such as quarantine measures, which are presently in place. Although the main purpose of the OSC is to facilitate genuine business travellers, this will only be undertaken while primarily upholding, protecting and preserving the health and safety of the Malaysian people.

The OSC commenced its operations on 2 October 2020. It is managed by MIDA with representatives from the Immigration Department, Ministry of Health and Ministry of International Trade and Industry (MITI) to ensure the legitimacy and health status of business travellers prior to their entry into Malaysia. This Centre will assume a critical role in ensuring that Malaysia remains steady on the path of economic recovery and growth, by enabling executive and essential personnel to travel to, and continue their work in, Malaysia.

In early May 2020, the Government began to reopen the economic sectors in phases, which was supported by strict vigilance implemented through a set of standard operating procedures (SOPs). This clearly demonstrates the Government’s resolute determination in striking a balance between protecting lives and safeguarding the livelihoods of the Malaysian people, many of whom rely upon the private sector for their jobs and wages. 

The reopening of economic activities was a crucial, timely and necessary intervention by the Government, which has led to gradual recovery of our country’s economic sectors. This phase also contributed towards the investments coming into Malaysia. For the period of January to June 2020, Malaysia recorded total approved investments of RM64.8 billion in the manufacturing, services and primary sectors. Of these, foreign direct investments (FDI) made up RM19.5 billion or 30.2 per cent.

Malaysia assumes an integral role in the global supply chain. The international business and investor community have always looked to Malaysia as a preferred destination for their operations, due to the stable, predictable and rules-based investment climate that Malaysia has to offer. Companies operating in Malaysia continue to enjoy a significant level of prominence and a leading edge, along the regional and global value chains.

Despite the COVID-19 pandemic, MIDA has intensified efforts to ensure that Malaysia remains a primary destination of choice for foreign investors. MIDA is also committed to ensure that appropriate measures are in place to ensure that the business environment in the country is agile and responsive to the present and future needs of the private sector, particularly in adapting to the new normal.

Since commencing operations on 2 October 2020, the OSC has received 221 applications from business travellers, out of which 207 has been approved.

The implementation of OSC entails two phases, namely:

• the present Phase 1: implementation of the OSC Committee to process applications for Entry Permission, for genuine business travellers; and 
• the future Phase 2: establishment of a Welcome Centre with liaison officers and a dedicated website containing information and advisory services to facilitate the entry of genuine business travellers into Malaysia.

Eligible business travellers who wish to submit their applications may do so via the MyEntry website at https://myentry.myxpats.com.my/app/

About MIDA 

MIDA is the Government’s principal investment promotion and development agency under the Ministry of International Trade and Industry (MITI) to oversee and drive investments into the manufacturing and services sectors in Malaysia. Headquartered in Kuala Lumpur Sentral, MIDA has 12 regional and 20 overseas offices. MIDA continues to be the strategic partner to businesses in seizing the opportunities arising from the technology revolution of this era. For more information, please visit www.mida.gov.my and follow us on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook, LinkedIn and YouTube channel.

For further information, please contact: 

Ms. Aizah Abdullah 

Director, Industry Talent Management and Expatriate Division 

Tel: 03-2267 3529 | E-mail: [email protected]

Welcoming Investors, Keeping Malaysia Safe

Kuala Lumpur, 2 October 2020 – The Project Acceleration and Coordination Unit (PACU) at the Malaysian Investment Development Authority (MIDA) organised an e-Biz Clinic on ‘Starting Your Project with [email protected]’ via a virtual webinar and physical event at the MIDA Headquarters (HQ) on 29 September 2020.

The initiative provided a platform for investors to engage and network with relevant authorities and stakeholders. Investors were also briefed on relevant information to enable efficient and timely realisation of projects that have been approved by the National Committee of Investment (NCI) within the stipulated 12-month time frame.

In his opening message, Dato’ Azman Mahmud, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of MIDA, highlighted on the adjustments in the global economy under the new normal. He emphasised that, “MIDA will continue its efforts to attract quality investments in the country and restore investor’s confidence in seeing Malaysia as their preferred investment destination. It is fundamental to revitalise the economy by adopting bold initiatives to ensure impactful accomplishments.”

“As part of Malaysia’s journey towards economic recovery, the Government introduced the National Short-Term Economic Recovery Plan called PENJANA on 5 June 2020. This includes the dedicated team established at MIDA, aptly named PACU to facilitate the speedy implementation of investment projects in the country”, added Dato’ Azman.

The e-Biz Clinic was broadcasted online and has garnered over 1,000 views, represented by manufacturers, service providers’, industrial associations, consultants and potential investors. The seminar featured presentations by a diverse mix of speakers, including Ms. Noor Aieda Ahmad, Director of Post Investment and Infrastructure Support Division of MIDA; TPr. Zamirzan Puji, Senior Principal Assistant Director, Development Control Consultation Division, Ministry of Housing and Local Government; Mr. Ir. Mohd Fairuz Abdul Kadir, Manager (Government and Mega Project-Supply) Customer Care and Business Development, Retail Division, Tenaga Nasional Berhad (TNB); Mr. Mohamad Rejab Sulaiman, Head of Internet, DC and Cloud, TM ONE Telekom Malaysia (TM); and Ms Gayathri Vadivel, Head of Employment Services Department Employment Insurance System from SOCSO.

Participants were guided on application submission, regulations and relevant requirements to kick-start their investment projects in Malaysia. In addition, this event provided information on utilities offered by service providers, as well as facilitation and assistance provided by the Government.

For the period of January to March 2020, a total of 214 manufacturing projects were approved. Of these, 127 projects (59.3%) are currently being implemented. Simultaneously, out of the 988 manufacturing projects approved in 2019, a total of 698 projects, which is equivalent to 71 per cent, have been implemented.

MIDA, through [email protected] will strive to provide professional support and assistance through various facilitations, programmes and initiatives for businesses to grow. MIDA continues to closely collaborate with federal and state agencies to facilitate investors in ensuring the timely implementation of their projects.

For more information or enquiries on [email protected], investors can contact the team at +603-2263 2462 / +603-22673473 or email [email protected] 

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About MIDA

MIDA is the Government’s principal investment promotion and development agency under the Ministry of International Trade and Industry (MITI) to oversee and drive investments into the manufacturing and services sectors in Malaysia. Headquartered in Kuala Lumpur Sentral, MIDA has 12 regional and 20 overseas offices. MIDA continues to be the strategic partner to businesses in seizing the opportunities arising from the technology revolution of this era. For more information, please visit www.mida.gov.my and follow us on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook, LinkedIn and YouTube channel.

For more information, please contact: 

Ms. Noor Aieda Ahmad

Director of Post Investment and Infrastructure Support Division, MIDA 

Tel.: 03-2267 6688 Email: [email protected]

Project Acceleration & Coordination Unit (PACU) 

(603)-2263 2462 / (603)-22673473 

[email protected]

Download:

[email protected] to Facilitate Speedy Implementation of Investment Projects in Malaysia

“Sabah is certainly one of Malaysia’s vibrant destinations for investment. As at December 2017, a total of 761 manufacturing projects with investments worth RM15.1 billion have been implemented in Sabah. More than 90,000 jobs have been created from these projects particularly in the food manufacturing, paper, printing & publishing, wood & wood products, chemical & chemical products, and non – metallic mineral products sectors. The State continues to attract additional approved investments of more than RM40 million in the first half of this year in the food manufacturing and fabricated products,” said Mr Arham Abdul Rahman, Deputy Chief Executive Officer (DCEO) of the Malaysian Investment Development Authority (MIDA) during its 6th instalment of the MIDA Invest Series today

16 October 2018, Kuala Lumpur – “Sabah is certainly one of Malaysia’s vibrant destinations for investment. As at December 2017, a total of 761 manufacturing projects with investments worth RM15.1 billion have been implemented in Sabah. More than 90,000 jobs have been created from these projects particularly in the food manufacturing, paper, printing & publishing, wood & wood products, chemical & chemical products, and non – metallic mineral products sectors. The State continues to attract additional approved investments of more than RM40 million in the first half of this year in the food manufacturing and fabricated products,” said Mr Arham Abdul Rahman, Deputy Chief Executive Officer (DCEO) of the Malaysian Investment Development Authority (MIDA) during its 6th instalment of the MIDA Invest Series today.

The series that started in January this year had so far, featured Perlis, Kedah, Kelantan, Pahang and Terengganu. It serves to provide updates and insights on the investment opportunities and facilities in every state in Malaysia. The event, which was held at MIDA headquarters today involved presentations by 5 Sabah Government Agencies namely the Department of Industrial Development and Research, Kota Kinabalu Industrial Park, POIC Lahad Datu and Sandakan, and Sabah Oil & Gas Development Corporation Sdn Bhd.

En. Arham highlighted that Sabah state government has set a goal to increase its industrial share of Gross Domestic Products (GDP) up to 35%, from the present 7.5%. “It may seem like a tall order but nothing is impossible. Sabah already has many attractive advantages in place and with concerted efforts from all stakeholders, I believe this aspiration can be achieved,” he added.

The Deputy CEO of MIDA also raised the concern of investors in the East Coast of Sabah. He shared that there are on-going measures being undertaken by the Government to address this matter. The Eastern Sabah Security Command (ESSCom), set up in 2013, comprising input and personnel drawn from the police, military and the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA), has the expertise and intelligence to empower investors in protecting their assets. They are proactively ensuring the safety of the Eastern Sabah Security Zone (Esszone). “We advise any investor to come to us for the correct information and seek our input in how to include preventive security measures in the business plan,” said En. Arham.

Participants were also urged to take advantage of the available facilities provided by the Government such as the matching grant under the Domestic Investment Strategic Fund, and the Less Developed Areas Incentive. In embracing Industry 4.0, the Government has also introduced several incentives such as Capital Allowance for ICT equipment and software, Automation Capital Allowance and Soft Loan Scheme for Automation & Modernisation (SLSAM) to encourage more companies to adopt smart manufacturing technologies and processes that will in return help in reducing dependency on foreign labour, improve productivity and enhance their long term competitiveness.

Since the introduction of DISF in 2012, MIDA has approved 308 projects with investments amounting RM14.7 billion with an approved grant value of RM1.51 billion. However, there is no company in Sabah that has received a grant under the DISF scheme. For the Less Developed Areas incentive, there is one project in Sabah that has been granted the incentive, thus far.

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About MIDA

MIDA is the government’s principal promotion agency under the Ministry of International Trade and Industry (MITI) to oversee and drive investments into the manufacturing and services sectors in Malaysia. Starting operations in 1967 with a relatively small set up of 37 staff, MIDA has grown to become a strong and dynamic organisation of over 700 employees. Headquartered in Kuala Lumpur Sentral, MIDA today has 12 regional and 20 overseas offices. MIDA continues to be the strategic partner to businesses in seizing the opportunities arising from the technology revolution of this era. For more information, please visit www.mida.gov.my and follow us on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook, @OfficialMIDA.

For more information, please contact:

Mr. Ahmad Tajudin Omar

Director, Domestic Investment & Supply Chain Division, MIDA

Tel.: 03-2267 3627

Email: [email protected]

Download:

 Talking Points by Mr Arham – MIDA Invest Series: Sabah

1. DIDR (Slide Presentation)

2. KKIP (Slide Presentation)

3. POIC Lahad Datu 2 (Slide Presentation)

4. POIC Sandakan (Slide Presentation)

 5. SOGDC (Slide Presentation)

Investors to Consider Sabah as the Next Location for Investment

The development of industrial parks in the country needs to be synchronized with the states’ unique strengths and leverage on specific industry clusters. “By providing a location which is well equipped with the right ingredients of the highest standards, it has the potential to transform the area into a thriving city of industry. Perak, for example, being the second largest state in Peninsular Malaysia, could leverage on the economic development of its bordering states. Local SME industrial clusters here could be further strengthened by tapping into the supply chain of big corporations or multinational companies in neighbouring states,” said YB Dr. Ong Kian Ming, Deputy Minister of International Trade and Industry at the Industrial Park Forum for the Northern Region held at Weil Hotel, Ipoh today

18 October 2018, Ipoh – The development of industrial parks in the country needs to be synchronized with the states’ unique strengths and leverage on specific industry clusters. “By providing a location which is well equipped with the right ingredients of the highest standards, it has the potential to transform the area into a thriving city of industry. Perak, for example, being the second largest state in Peninsular Malaysia, could leverage on the economic development of its bordering states. Local SME industrial clusters here could be further strengthened by tapping into the supply chain of big corporations or multinational companies in neighbouring states,” said YB Dr. Ong Kian Ming, Deputy Minister of International Trade and Industry at the Industrial Park Forum for the Northern Region held at Weil Hotel, Ipoh today.

“On the topic of infrastructure, park developers should also consider the move towards Industry 4.0 and the world of automation. It is important to embrace new strategies and enhance current infrastructure and facilities to meet new demands, such as technical support for electronic devices and smart monitoring equipment, which requires round-the-clock, stable, high-speed internet in the parks,” he added.

Quoting the Bayan Lepas Free Industrial Zone (FIZ), Proton City in Tanjung Malim and Kulim Hi-Tech Park as examples of some notable industrial parks in the country, Dr Ong said, “As the demands of the industrial players increase, our industrial park developers also have to up your game in order to meet the demand for higher standard.” In his speech, he pointed out three distinguishing factors for industrial parks, namely, public-private partnerships for world-class infrastructure, an ecosystem strategy for incentivising and attracting a particular segment of industry and growing the downstream manufacturers, and dedicated support by state investment agencies

Also present were Deputy CEO of Malaysian Investment Development Authority (MIDA), Mr. Arham Abdul Rahman and Chairman of Federation of Malaysian Manufacturers (FMM) Perak, Dato’ Gan Tack Kong. During his welcome remarks, Mr. Arham said, “Malaysia’s 13 states and 3 federal territories offer their unique strengths and ecosystems to investors. It is our desire to undertake initiatives in every state to encourage more equitable spread of investments throughout Malaysia. While Perak is well-known for its Old Town White Coffee, soya bean curd (tau foo fah), hot springs and limestone hills, the state also has a very diversified industrial portfolio.“

In promoting the state to investors, MIDA is working closely with the state government including the State Economic Advisory Council (SEAC), which was established in July 2018. “We are pleased to note that the State Government has given special attention to attract quality foreign direct investments to the state. With the efforts and initiatives undertaken by the Kumpulan Perbadanan Kemajuan Negeri Perak (PKNP); as well as private developers such as Stellar World (Pengkalan Hulu) and Proton City Development Corporation (Tanjung Malim), we strongly believe that the state is moving towards the right direction in preparing for the new wave of investors,” added Mr Arham.

A total of 5,500 manufacturing projects have been approved and implemented in the Northern region, thus far. These projects amounted to RM178.5 billion of investments. Foreign investments accounted for RM119.4 billion or 67% of total investments while domestic investments made up the rest. In addition to creating more than 680,000 jobs, these projects have also opened doors for spill over benefits to be enjoyed by local businesses in Perak, Penang, Kedah and Perlis as well as the overall economy.

For the first half of this year (1H2018), MIDA has approved an additional 88 manufacturing projects with investments of RM3.1 billion for the northern region. Once these projects are realised, we will be looking at 5,171 more job opportunities for this region.

Perak alone attracted a total of 16 approved manufacturing projects worth RM364.5 million in 1H2018. The recent MOUs that were signed between Invest Perak and 5 companies, once realised, will translate to RM1.9 billion worth of investments. In addition, MIDA already has a total of 15 manufacturing projects in the pipeline for Perak with proposed investments of RM755.7 million.

The Industrial Park Forum was jointly-organised by MIDA and FMM. It was well attended by over 200 participants from various fields, including business chambers, local authorities, park developers & managers, utility companies, manufacturers and potential investors. The Forum featured a panel discussion by a broad range of speakers from Perbadanan Kemajuan Negeri Perak (PKNP), Telekom Malaysia, Finisar Malaysia, Penang Development Corporation (PDC), Ditrolic Solar, Proton Holdings Berhad, Lembaga Air Perak and Kulim Hi-Tech Park.

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For more information, please contact:

Mr. Ahmad Tajudin Omar

Director, Domestic Investment and Supply Chain Coordination Division, MIDA

Tel.: 03-2267 3627 | Email: [email protected]

Download:

Speech by YB Dr. Ong Kian Ming, Deputy Minister of International Trade & Industry_Industrial Park Forum Northern Region

Speech by Mr. Arham Abdul Rahman, DCEO II of MIDA_Industrial Park Forum Northern Region

Industry Park Developers to Employ New Strategies

Approved Investments in the Services, Manufacturing and Primary Sectors Rose by 17.7% in 1H2018

Kuala Lumpur, 29 October 2018 – Malaysia continues to attract new approved direct investments in the services, manufacturing and primary sectors in the first half of 2018 (1H 2018) with a total of RM80.2 billion, an increase of 17.7% from the same period last year (RM68.2 billion). The investments approved in January – June were from 2,346 projects. These are expected to generate 60,181 job opportunities for Malaysia.

Despite rising competition and a challenging external environment, Malaysia remains a competitive investment location for foreign investors. Foreign investments increased by 35.3% to RM26.5 billion in 1H 2018 from RM19.6 billion in the same period last year. The increases in foreign investments were mainly seen in the manufacturing and primary sectors. Meanwhile, domestic investments led with RM53.7 billion, contributing 67% to the total approved investments in all three sectors. The performance of the domestic investments also saw a rise of 10.5% from RM48.6 billion in the same period last year.

Services Sector

The services sector continued to account for the largest share of approved investments, contributing 63.5% or RM50.9 billion. A total of 2,025 projects were approved and will create more than 33,970 job opportunities, the largest potential employer in the economy. Around 89% of these jobs will be in the distributive trade, education, MSC status and healthcare sub sectors.

Domestic investments made up the largest portion, recording RM44.9 billion or 83.6% of the total approved investments for the services sector during this period. The rest or RM6.0 billion were from foreign sources.

For the period of January to June 2018, the total approved investments for the healthcare services sub-sector recorded a significant rise of 282.5% to RM1.1 billion from RM294.7 million in the first half last year. This is in line with the Government’s efforts to strengthen its healthcare delivery system by offering more private hospitals, ambulatory care services and private healthcare centres. From the seven approved projects, 93.3% were from domestic sources.

The increased investment performance for the services sector was also contributed by approved investments in the supporting services sub-sector, which recorded an increase of 248.1%. The bulk of the approved investments derived from green technology activities with investments of RM2.5 billion – of which 96.7% came from domestic sources. The green technology activities were led by energy generation projects with approved investments of RM2.3 billion followed by green services, energy conservation, green building and waste management projects (RM200.4 million). Other supporting services namely licensed warehouse, oil and gas services and integrated logistics were approved with five, three and 15 projects, recording investments of RM697 million, RM653 million and RM544.3 million respectively.

Meanwhile during this period, a total of 27 projects were approved to undertake research and development (R&D) activities as well as technology related activities. These contributed a total of RM52.3 million of approved investments, which were solely from domestic sources.

During this period, investments in global establishments rose by 157.1% to RM744.7 million from RM289.7 million in the same period last year. This was mainly due to a 430.4% increase in investments for Principal Hub projects, amounting to RM583.5 million; and a 211.1% rise in new representative offices (RE) to RM48.9 million. The bulk of these investments were once again by domestic investors, contributing 63% to the total.

Manufacturing Sector

Malaysia’s manufacturing sector remains resilient and recorded approved investments of RM20.2 billion from 287 manufacturing projects for the first half of 2018 as compared to RM16.7 billion from 299 manufacturing projects in the same period last year. The increase of 21.2% in terms of the value of investments is an indication that capital-intensive projects are dominating Malaysia’s manufacturing landscape.

The approved manufacturing projects will create 25,165 job opportunities. The jobs created include 530 electrical and electronics engineers, 607 mechanical engineers and 85 chemical engineers. In addition, the approved manufacturing projects will also require about 1,742 skilled craftsmen such as plant maintenance supervisors, tools and die makers, machinists, IT personnel, quality controllers, electricians and welders.

For 1H 2018, foreign investments in approved manufacturing projects rose by 63.1% to RM15.2 billion from RM9.3 billion in the corresponding period last year. The increase reflects the country’s competitiveness as a location of choice for investments. China accounted for RM6.5 billion or 43% of the total foreign investments, followed by Korea (16%), Japan (10%), Singapore (5%) and France (4%).

Notable investments include a new manufacturing project from China for the basic metals industry that involves utilising ‘blast furnace’ technology that not only produces quality end-products at a cheaper cost but can also contribute to a greener steel-making process. This project, which offers 98% of its total job opportunities to Malaysians, is expected to reduce imports of intermediate goods and will strengthen the metal and steel industry.

Another example is an expansion project by a French industry leader in thiochemicals technologies to produce high value added sulfur derivatives. The project, which will create an additional 33 job opportunities, is set to support the strong growth of the animal feed, petrochemical and refining markets in the region.

Others include a tier 1 aerospace company from UK that will be establishing its new aero engine component repair facility in Johor by 2019. The company intends to add research capability to the facility and will work with local knowledge institutes to adopt new technologies and grow its product offerings for the new generation of aero engines.

Malaysia has huge potentials to collaborate with these foreign companies and benefit from the transfer of knowledge and expertise across many industries. As the principal investment promotion agency of the country, MIDA continues to encourage local sourcing by foreign companies.

The targeted catalytic and high potential growth subsectors namely electrical & electronics, chemical & chemical products, machinery & equipment, medical devices and aerospace that continues to be emphasised under the 11th Malaysia Plan Mid-Term Review, contributed 26.7% (RM5.4 billion) to the total approved investments in the manufacturing sector. Once implemented, these projects will further energise the development and growth of the overall manufacturing sector.

Industries which recorded increased investments include the basic metal, rubber, transport equipment, plastic, fabricated metal, and textiles & textile products. These six industries constituted 62.4% (RM12.6 billion) of the total investments approved in the first half of 2018.

The capital intensity, measured by capital investment per employee (CIPE) ratio of projects approved within the sector increased to RM805,173 in January to June 2018 from RM767,611 in the same period last year. There were 4 projects approved with investments of at least RM1 billion, totalling RM8.6 billion (42.6%) of total investments approved in the manufacturing sector. As for investments of at least RM100 million, 29 projects were approved with total investments of RM15.2 billion (75.2%) of all investments approved in this sector. This shows that Malaysia continues to attract more capital intensive projects.

Primary Sector

The primary sector contributed RM9.1 billion or 11.3% to the total approved projects in the first half of 2018. The mining subsector continued to lead with approved investments of RM8.8 billion, followed by plantation and commodities with RM311.8 million and agriculture with RM38.7 million. These investments are expected to create 1,039 job opportunities. The mining subsector was dominated by oil and gas exploration activities. This solid performance by this subsector reflects Malaysia’s potential to be a leading hub for the oil and gas industry in the region.

Conclusion

Malaysia continues to welcome quality investments into the country that will contribute to enhancing the country’s technological capabilities, develop the local supply chain and increase the country’s export revenue. Malaysia is truly a land of opportunities, not just for investors from a few selected countries but for all those who have the spirit of entrepreneurship and are willing to contribute to the economic advancement of the country. The new Government is committed for Malaysia to remain pro-business with prudent and pragmatic policies to ensure a conducive environment for businesses to thrive.

Minister of International Trade and Industry, Datuk Darell Leiking, expressed his optimism on the performance of the Malaysian economy moving forward. “The foreign and local investments have risen by 35.3% and 10.5% respectively, which shows people’s confidence in the country. With the change of government that promotes transparency and our effort in restoring the confidence of investors, I am certain that the figure will increase even further for the second half of the year,” says Darell.

He has just concluded a trade mission to Japan and Korea last week and secured RM2.84 billion of potential investments, which he cited as an evidence of foreign investors’ faith in the new government and its investor-friendly policies led by Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad. Despite the American-China trade war, says Darell, Malaysian economy continues to be resilient and with investments in segments that are moving up the value chain, we can look forward for the country being transformed into a knowledge-based, and skill-based advance economy.

Malaysia Continues to Attract More Business Interest

Industry Players Urged to Forge Ahead with New Strategies & Technologies

24 October 2018, Kuala Lumpur – In conjunction with the Malaysia Medical Device Expo 2018 (MyMEDEX 2018) the Malaysian Investment Development Authority (MIDA) organised a panel session on the ‘Next Wave of Medical Devices Manufacturing: Shaping the Industry of the Future’ at the Malaysian International Trade and Exhibition Centre (MITEC), Kuala Lumpur today.

“The medical devices industry continues to be one of the high potential growth sectors under the 11^th Malaysia Plan’s Mid Term Review. Industry players, especially local companies, are urged to adopt new strategies and embrace emerging technologies. To stay competitive, companies need to prioritise productivity, accelerate automation and innovation, undertake more R&D and implement best industry practices. Through engagements such as this, MIDA hopes that more local compnies will be able to familiarise themselves with emerging trends that have a direct impact on the dynamics of the medical device industry,” said Datuk N. Rajendran, who moderated the panel session.

The session featured panellist from Vigilenz Medical Devices, Cochlear Malaysia, Siemens Malaysia and the Medical Device Authority (MDA).

“The need for agility, speed, quality, and compliance is becoming more important than ever in the medical device industry. With over 200 manufacturers in this industry alone in Malaysia, the time is now for these companies to embrace digitalisation so that they can effectively develop innovative medical devices and achieve faster time-to-market for the competitive edge against global manufacturers, especially If we are to maintain our leading position of exporting over 90% of our locally-manufactured medical devices, and boost foreign investors’ confidence towards our industry from their RM1.6bil (72.7%) worth of investment contribution,” said Siemens Malaysia President & CEO Mr Indranil Lahiri.

At the session, Mr. S.Choudhury, the CEO of Vigilenz Medical Devices Malaysia, a wholly owned Malaysian company that supplies medical and surgical products said, “For the country to embrace Industrial Revolution 4.0, we should pay much more attention to enhancing the skill sets of our university graduates in this realm of digitisation.”

Mr Samuel Pooranakaran, Director of Cochlear Malaysia Operations, a global leader in implantable hearing solutions, highlighted on the untapped human resources and manufacturing infrastructure for medical device manufacturing in Malaysia.

MYMEDEX 2018, held from 23 to 25 October, is the first initiative by the Medical Device Authority (MDA) supported by MIDA, to highlight the latest innovative technologies and advances of global medical devices. Recognising that medical device is one of the biggest industries in global healthcare, the expo offers a unique opportunity for all stakeholders to be immersed in an insightful one-stop centre for medical devices solutions.

MDA, an entity under the Ministry of Health to ensure that medical devices in Malaysia are of high quality, effective and safe, was represented by Mdm Ir. Sasikala, Director, Policy, Code & Standard Division during the panel session. “In maintaining the competitiveness of the industry, MDA will assist the local manufacturers to comply with the medical devices regulatory requirements,” assurred the MDA Director.

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About MIDA

MIDA is the government’s principal promotion agency under the Ministry of International Trade and Industry (MITI) to oversee and drive investments into the manufacturing and services sectors in Malaysia. Starting operations in 1967 with a relatively small set up of 37 staff, MIDA has grown to become a strong and dynamic organisation of over 700 employees. Headquartered in Kuala Lumpur Sentral, MIDA today has 12 regional and 20 overseas offices. MIDA continues to be the strategic partner to businesses in seizing the opportunities arising from the technology revolution of this era. For more information, please visit www.mida.gov.my and follow us on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook, @OfficialMIDA.

For more information, please contact:

Puan Balkish Mohd Yasin

Director, Life Sciences & Medical Technology Division, MIDA

Tel.: 03-2267 3458 | Email: [email protected]

Catching the Next Wave of Medical Devices Manufacturing

The Malaysian Investment Development Authority (MIDA) launched its i-Services Portal during the National Investment Seminar 2018 today. It is a business linkage platform to connect service providers and their potential clients, which consists both local and foreign companies.

30 October 2018, Kuala Lumpur – The Malaysian Investment Development Authority (MIDA) launched its i-Services Portal during the National Investment Seminar 2018 today. It is a business linkage platform to connect service providers and their potential clients, which consists both local and foreign companies.

The National Investment Seminar 2018 was graced by YB Datuk Darell Leiking, Minister of International Trade and Industry (MITI). During YB Minister’s speech, he emphasised on the need for Malaysia to have world class enterprises. “I believe our local companies that continue to develop from strength to strength over the years, has the potential to drive Malaysia towards this next phase of economic growth. The world is moving its focus to Asia, and Malaysia is well-positioned to seize these opportunities. We have all the advantages to compete globally. The trade war that is going on has provided us an opportunity for Malaysia to rise up and reclaim our rightful place as an ‘Asian Tiger’ once again,” said YB Datuk Darell.

The mid-term review of the 11th Malaysia Plan, which was recently announced by YAB Prime Minister, has highlighted the importance of ‘shared prosperity’, ensuring that the fruits of development are enjoyed by every state and every Malaysian.

“Our companies need to move fast to upscale their operations to be on the same level playing field with global players. Prioritise on productivity, accelerate automation and innovation, undertake more R&D and implement best industry practices. We need to focus on these areas if we are to expand market outreach and increase readiness in meeting international requirements,” added YB MITI Minister.

Dato’ Azman Mahmud, Chief Executive Officer of MIDA in his opening speech, “In addition to the i-Services Portal, MIDA has set up a dedicated team under our Domestic Investment & Supply Chain (DISC) Division to link up companies with potential funders, technology providers, research institutions and business partners. The team has identified and collaborated with various institutions. As to date we have engaged with 140 companies and 40 partners providing financial support including private equity firms. We would like to encourage interested parties to register your interest with MIDA by reaching out to any of our MIDA officials for further details on this exciting initiative.”

The National Investment Seminar 2018 was well attended by over 500 participants from various fields, including local and foreign business chambers, government agencies, manufacturers, service providers and potential investors. The seminar featured two panel sessions by a broad range of speakers from the Royal Malaysian Customs Department, Energy Commission, Malaysian Global Innovation & Creativity Centre (MaGIC) and Federation of Malaysian Manufacturers (FMM) as well as government agencies such as Malaysia External Trade Development Corporation (MATRADE), Malaysian Industrial Development Finance Berhad (MIDF) and Export-Import Bank of Malaysia Berhad (EXIM Bank). There were also business clinics and consultation services provided by MITI, MIDA and other related agencies.

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About MIDA i-Services Portal

Launched on 29 October 2018, the i-Service Portal is a business linkage platform to connect service providers and their potential clients, which consists both local and foreign companies. Local service providers are encouraged to register their businesses in the portal as this will be an effective, cost-efficient medium for them to showcase their capabilities in their areas of expertise. This gateway will also help them expand their markets and further boost business activities. Services that are available in portal include Accounting, Distribution and Logistics, Engineering, Education, Environmental Protection, ICT and other Professional & Technical Services. Please log on to http://iservices.mida.gov.myfind out more.

About MIDA

MIDA is the government’s principal promotion agency under the Ministry of International Trade and Industry (MITI) to oversee and drive investments into the manufacturing and services sectors in Malaysia. Starting operations in 1967 with a relatively small set up of 37 staff, MIDA has grown to become a strong and dynamic organisation of over 700 employees. Headquartered in Kuala Lumpur Sentral, MIDA today has 12 regional and 20 overseas offices. For more information, please visit www.mida.gov.my and follow us on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook, @OfficialMIDA.

For more information, please contact:

Mr. Ahmad Tajudin Omar

Director, Domestic Investment and Supply Chain Coordination Division, MIDA

Tel.: 03-2267 3627 | Email: [email protected]

SPEECH By YBHG DATO’ AZMAN MAHMUD CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER OF MIDA

INPUTS ON i-SERVICES PORTAL

Session I – Sales Tax

Session I – Services Tax

Session I-MaGIC

Session I-Energy Commission

Session II 01-MIDA

Session II 02-MATRADE

Session II 03-MIDF

Session II 04-EXIM Bank

MIDA i-Services Portal Launched at National Investment Seminar 2018