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DDI will no longer be seen as ‘second class’ investment — Steven Sim

Domestic investments will no longer be treated as second-class investment, as it is now part of the national key performance index (KPI) set by the government, said Deputy Finance Minister II Steven Sim Chee Keong.

Speaking to business leaders at The Edge Malaysia Centurion Club Corporate Awards 2023 ceremony, Sim said domestic direct investment (DDI) will be ‘just as important as FDI’ (foreign direct investment), and that there will no longer be different treatments between the two by the government.

He was addressing grouses from local entrepreneurs in his few months as deputy finance minister, where DDI was treated as ‘second class’ as opposed to those bringing in FDI being welcomed as very, very important persons (VVIP).

“The Madani economy framework will include DDI as a KPI for investment. We recognise our need for FDI [and] definitely we will continue to woo them aggressively. But at the same time, we want to honour those who want to build Malaysian businesses because you are the foundation of our economy,” Sim said.

“The unity government understands time is of the essence [to spur economic growth]. We have to catch up quickly,” he said.

This was also why the government recently launched measures to boost the capital markets, together with the National Energy Transition Roadmap and the New Industrial Master Plan (NIMP 2030), which will “form the core of the country’s strategy to catch up to be among the top economies of the world”, he added.

Sim called upon the business community to catch up, especially in the technology space. “We have to catch up with technology… We have to innovate quickly and if we are to be very successful, we have to innovate together as a nation,” he added.

Source: The Edge Malaysia

DDI will no longer be seen as ‘second class’ investment — Steven Sim


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Digital economy should be the way forward as a major instrument in accomplishing China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) and boosting the industry’s activities, said an expert.

Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission member, Datuk Wei Chuan Beng, said the digital economy is crucial for Malaysia as well as other neighbouring countries in elevating poverty via the idea of a digital village to improve healthcare, education and e-commerce.

“It is through the digital economy that we have seen how China has elevated their hardcore poverty,” he said during the CTGN-Bernama Belt and Road Special Joint Programme’s talk show.

Additionally, he said the digital economy would also be a platform for the government to be more effective and efficient.

Earlier in April, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said Malaysia would continue to work with China in deepening the existing cooperation in the BRI and to expand economic cooperation in new growth areas such as green development and digital economy.

During the three-day visit to China, Anwar said Malaysia would work closely with other Asean member states to ensure that the Asean-China Free Trade Area (ACFTA) benefits all parties involved.

He said the ACFTA would not only deepen trade and investment within the region but also broaden economic benefits with the inclusion of new sectors, namely, digital economy, green economy, competition and consumer protection, as well as micro, small and medium enterprises.

Meanwhile, on investment opportunities, Beijing Belt and Road Cooperative Community president Han Ye said there are more areas for both sides to tap into and explore besides electric vehicles and internet connectivity.

“Maybe these areas are in different kinds of development stages, but certainly people could work harder to explore these areas such as the blue economy where both countries can have some transfer of technologies, increasing the seafood provision for both countries and also to increase the welfare of the livelihood.

“I also know that some internet applications, such as Little Red Book, are also very popular in Malaysia among youngsters.

“So, maybe alongside this kind of popular applications, I suppose there will be investment opportunities for the Chinese side to invest more into the Malaysian market and to explore this great potential market with an ever-growing population in your country,” she said.

Besides the East Coast Rail Link (ECRL), she noted that the two industrial parks, one in China and another in Malaysia, could also be a very good accomplishment in BRI investment.

Currently, Malaysia and China have participated in several collaborations, including the RM75 billion ECRL project, which is expected to be completed in December 2026 and ready for operation in January 2027.

Beijing Foreign Studies University’s School of Asian Studies associate professor Song Qingrun also commented that China had gained a lot from the bilateral relationship and economic development of both sides under the BRI framework.

“This is particularly true in its investments in auto manufacturing products, mobile smartphone products and also the industrial parks where China has invested a lot in Malaysia. China has earned some profits,” he added.

China remained Malaysia’s largest trading partner for 14 consecutive years, with a total trade of RM488 billion last year.

On the investment front, China was the biggest foreign direct investor in Malaysia last year, with investments amounting to RM55.2 billion.

According to statistics from the Foreign Affairs Ministry, total exports to China grew 9.4 per cent to RM210.6 billion last year, while total imports from China stood at RM276.5 billion in the same year, or up 20.7 per cent compared to the previous year. 

Source: Bernama

Expert: Digital economy way forward in accomplishing BRI, boosting industry


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The New Industrial Master Plan 2030 (NIMP 2030) is instrumental in supporting the Madani Economy framework and achieving the targets set for the next 10 years, including being a leading Asian economy, ranking among the top 30 economies in the world and the top 12 in global competitiveness.

The Federation of Malaysian Manufacturers (FMM) said NIMP 2030 would provide the ecosystem to transform the economy into a high-tech industrialised one, and to becoming a developed and high-income nation.

It said the mission-based approach of the NIMP 2030, focusing on nurturing higher economic complexity and embracing technology, underscored by sustainability and inclusivity principles, was critical to propel Malaysia to its next level of industrialisation and growth.

“The plan is geared to moving our manufacturing sector up the value chain to more high-technology and high value-added and complex products, as well as developing our national technological capabilities, which would be instrumental in supporting the high-technology manufacturing economy.

“This, in turn, should provide greater job opportunities for Malaysians, including youth.

“It would also elevate the workforce in terms of skills and knowledge to support more complex and high-technology products and services, innovation, and research and development,” it said in a statement.

The federation said the plan should translate into higher-paying jobs and open markets to local manufacturers, including those that place a high requirement for products and services that were environmental, social and governance (ESG)-compliant.

The FMM said having a holistic ecosystem would elevate Malaysia’s attractiveness to foreign and domestic investors, especially in the high-technology and innovation-driven segments.

It said the NIMP 2030 would address certain areas that support the transformation of the economy to greater levels of industrialisation, including providing an environment for industries to horizontally diversify.

“This collaboration between the government and the private sector in developing the NIMP 2030 should be continued and strengthened to ensure that the plan is well executed and targets achieved.

“Most importantly, the government must continue to commit to the highest level of efficiency and governance in ensuring the ease of doing business in the country.”

The American Malaysian Chamber of Commerce (Amcham) said it looked forward to continuing its collaboration and partnership with the government and working in alignment with the NIMP 2030’s four missions.

“Amcham believes that engaging in regular consultations with stakeholders to address implementation challenges fosters discussions among United States companies and investors and government decision-makers to identify the best path to sustainable and ESG-conscious investments and to ensure the success of the master plan’s implementation.

“Prudent governance in monitoring and implementing reforms and outlined projects, and maintaining communication with stakeholders through reviews of milestones, will also help in ensuring its implementation,” it said.

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim on Friday launched the NIMP 2030, a policy framework that includes missions, priorities and action plans for transforming the manufacturing sector. 

Source: Bernama

NIMP vital for high-tech nation goal


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A strong and unified regulatory regime can help Asean reap its potential digital economy value, which is expected to reach US$1-2 trillion (RM4.7 trillion – RM9.3 trillion) by 2030, up from US$300 million (RM1.4 billion) currently, said Investment, Trade and Industry Minister Tengku Datuk Seri Zafrul Abdul Aziz.

He said the rapid growth of e-commerce and availability of digital platforms such as social networks, and e-commerce marketplaces are an opportunity for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Asean to increase their participation in domestic and international markets.

Citing “private intent data,” Tengku Zafrul said about 50 million SMEs use Facebook to find customers, with 70 per cent of their fans being domestic and 30 per cent from outside the country.

“Enhancing data flows will reduce transaction costs, promote the sharing of ideas, and enable users to make use of new findings and technologies. One way is to work towards a comprehensive regulatory framework to increase trust in intra-Asean data-sharing between stakeholders, comprising the reuse of both public and private intent data.

“While enabling the reuse of public intent data may be a more complex process, what we can consider today is to further enable the reuse of private intent data via regulations across Asean,” he said in his speech at the 2023 Asean Business & Investment Summit in Jakarta.

Tengku Zafrul also shared his experience as the former group chief executive officer of CIMB Group, where the bank successfully enabled the cross-border linking of accounts between CIMB Malaysia and CIMB Singapore.

The move has facilitated services such as providing competitive ringgit-Singapore dollar exchange rates for immediate, online fund transfers.

“This is a direct example of how regulatory harmonisation between two countries has built trust in sharing private intent data for cross-border banking transactions. The second example is the easing of the payment system for transactions.

“On this front, we must commend the banking regulators and central banks that have cooperated well in harmonising the regulations in this space,” he said, adding that today, payment transactions between Asean countries are also much easier as cross-border QR code is accepted.

These examples are significant in that they were facilitated in a highly regulated industry, such as banking.

“Imagine how much more we can achieve region-wide if we were to better harmonise regulatory practices on data-sharing across the board?” he asked.

Tengku Zafrul said regionally, multilateral arrangements to facilitate cross-border data flows include the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) provisions on e-commerce and the Asean e-Commerce Agreement.

The e-commerce chapter under the RCEP aims to create a conducive e-commerce environment through the protection of online consumers and online personal data as well as facilitating cross-border data flows.

He said improved coherence in data-related policies will create more trust, and boost e-commerce within the region, as well as between Asean and other international markets.Tengku Zafrul also called for the region to strengthen the implementation of the next level of Good Regulatory Practice (GRP) by building on the foundation that it has developed thus far to achieve unified standards to realize the region’s ambitions as a single market and production base.

He said this is because Asean countries are still in the early stages of developing their regulatory frameworks for sharing public and private intent data.

For that reason, he said policymakers and regulators should incorporate international best practices into their domestic legislative procedures.

“For private intent data, this includes introducing legislation or policy that encourages open data licenses between private firms, promoting the right to data portability for individuals, and access to a machine-readable format of data portability from say, one vendor to another.

“Asean countries should also seriously consider establishing mutual recognition arrangements and/or harmonising their data-related regulations both within and outside the region. This can also be taken up through the upcoming negotiations on the Asean Digital Economy Framework Agreement (DEFA),” he added.

Source: Bernama

Tengku Zafrul: Strong regulations will propel ASEAN digital economy to hit US$1-2 trillion in value by 2030


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Premier Tan Sri Abang Johari Openg today said that Sarawak has the potential to generate 20,000 megawatts (MW) of hydropower if more dams are built.

“Therefore, the potential to export electricity will also be enhanced,” he said in his keynote address at the World Green and Sustainability Summit here.

He said Sarawak Energy Berhad (SEB) currently owns Bakum, Murum and Batang Ai dams and it is currently constructing Baleh dam which is capable of generating 1,285 megawatts of power and will be commissioned by 2027.

He said SEB is already exporting electricity to West Kalimantan, Indonesia and will be exporting to Sabah by 2024.

“We are looking into exporting electricity to Singapore and Brunei as well,” the premier said.

Abang Johari said the state government is in the midst of studying the concept of cascading dams to produce power, similar to Tasmanian and Nordic countries such as Sweden.

The premier also invited investors, environmentalists, and financial institutions to collaborate in transforming Sarawak’s green economic landscape.

He said the shift towards a sustainable economy in Sarawak will undoubtedly demand profound investment and innovative financing solutions.

“We are open to partnerships focusing on the greener supply and value chains across all sectors,” he said.

He added that Sarawak plans to be a regional powerhouse in renewable energy and aims to generate 15 per cent of income from foreign markets through the renewable energy sector.

“To achieve this, we are increasing interconnectivity with other regions through 1,400 kilometres (km) of new transmission line of 500 kilovolts (kV) including 600 kilometres (km) of undersea cable across the South China Sea,” he said.

Source: Malay Mail

Sarawak premier: State can generate 20,000 megawatts of hydropower if more dams built


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The state government needs to be more proactive, especially to introduce policies which are more attractive and competitive to attract Foreign Direct Investment (FDI), if it aspires to develop its palm oil downstream industry.

This is the view of Datuk Hong Ngit Ming, Executive Chairman of Teck Guan Group (Teck Guan).

He especially opines that Sabah has huge potential to develop the oleochemicals industry.

“This is due to the fact that Sabah has huge resources such as palm oil, palm kernel oil (PKO), palm kernel meals (PKM), minerals, etc for the palm oil downstream industry use,” he said.

Hong said for a start, the state government could seriously consider giving tax exemption for investors who set up palm oil downstream manufacturing plants in Sabah.

“If nothing is being done by Sabah, no foreign investor would want to come to Sabah to invest in palm oil downstream industry, like oleochemicals manufacturing, while Sabah continues to face huge competition from Indonesia, due to their lower cost of raw materials,” he said in a statement on Monday.

Hong added Teck Guan which had invested heavily in the oleochemicals manufacturing in Rugao, Nantong City, Jiangsu Province China, since 2005, would be more than willing to have an indepth discussion with the state government, and the relevant agencies, at the right forum, on what are the best approaches to attract investors from China, including oleochemicals manufacturers from Rugao, to invest in Sabah, in order to help develop its palm oil downstream industry.

Oleochemicals are chemical compounds derived from natural fats and oils, including palm oil, that can be used as raw materials or as supplemental materials in a variety of industries. Oleochemicals can be used as a substitute for petroleum-based products known as petrochemicals.

Hong was responding to questions from the local media, in regards to Teck Guan’s effort in facilitating the recent visit by the delegation of the municipal government of Nantong Rugao, Jiangsu Province, to Sabah, in middle of last month, with the chief aim of exploring investment potential in Sabah.

Leading the said delegation was Wang Minghao, Mayor of Rugao City, who was accompanied by senior officials including Xu Wei, the Vice Mayor cum Director of The Management Committee of Rugao Port Industrial Park, Qiu Dehua, Director of Rugao Local Financial Regulatory Administration, and She Fei, Director of Rugao Business Bureau, among others.

Through Hong’s arrangement, the delegation also had a cordial and insightful exchange with Phoong Jin Zhe, Sabah Minister of Industrial Development & Entrepreneurship (MID), as well as senior officials of various key state government departments and agencies, such as the Kota Kinabalu Industrial Park (KKIP), Palm Oil Industrial Cluster (POIC), Sabah Oil and Gas Terminal (SOGT), and leaders of Sabah businesses and industries, during the meeting cum dialogue held at the MID conference room.

Hong said if given the necessary support by the state government, some major players in the Rugao manufacturing sector might seriously consider expanding their operations to Sabah.

He also hoped the state government, the MID especially, could fully capitalise on Sabah’s vast natural resources and its strategic location in the region, to better attract FDI to Sabah, to help transform the state into a robust manufacturing and distribution hub for the region.

“Sabah with its vast natural resources, palm oil especially, coupled with its strategic location, would be an ideal destination for those manufacturing industries in Rugao which could use our natural resources.

“If properly planned and executed, Sabah can be turned into an ideal manufacturing and distribution hub, for a wide-range of oleochemicals products, for ASEAN countries. This would also allow us to capture the Indonesian market, which is enormous.

“This would certainly benefit Sabah in many ways, including transfer of technology and job creations which would stimulate the state economy and developments,” he explained.

Hong went on to note that during the exchange session, Wang said he was impressed with Sabah’s vast natural resources, especially its huge oil palm production, and that Sabah has vast potential for collaboration with Rugao in the oleochemicals manufacturing sector.

Wang especially highlighted that Rugao Port is equipped with bonded storage tanks facilities for storing of palm cooking oil at Rugao Port, and those who use the facilities are not required to pay tax or duty, until or unless the palm cooking oil is sold.

“He (Wang) also acknowledged the fact that Sabah has a sizable local Chinese population who speak the same language and share the same culture, besides its diverse culture and beautiful nature like scenic islands and beaches, are plus points for Rugao investors to consider investing in Sabah, in future,” said Hong.

Meanwhile, Phoong expressed his aspiration to see bilateral trade and investment collaborations between Sabah businesses and their counterparts from Rugao City, both in Sabah as well as in Rugao, in future.

He also thanked Hong for his dedicated effort in facilitating the visit by the Rugao delegation, which he described as significant, for the downstream industrial development of Sabah.

Source: Borneo Post

Sabah needs to introduce attractive investment policies


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Wenan Steel (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd will implement the first phase of its integrated steel project in Samalaju Industrial Park next year.

This was conveyed by Xin Wu’an Steel Group Company Limited chairman Wang Wenan to Deputy Premier Datuk Amar Awang Tengah Ali Hasan during the latter’s courtesy call on Wang in Beijing, China last Friday.

Xin Wu’an Steel Group Company is the parent company of Wenan Steel (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd.

Awang Tengah, who is International Trade, Industry and Investment Minister, had met with Wang and his team to discuss the latest development of Wenan’s steel project in Sarawak.

He was informed that like many players whose businesses were affected by the Covid-19 pandemic, the RM13.8 billion high-grade steel project in Samalaju Industrial Park also faced challenges during this difficult time.

However, with business conditions improving, Wenan will accelerate the project implementation of its steel plant in Sarawak.

Wang thanked Awang Tengah for his concern on the progress of the project in Samalaju and assured the Deputy Premier that Wenan will expedite the implementation of the project after land preparation works have been completed.

He also said that the company will prioritise jobs for Sarawakians where possible so that the project can create a winwin situation for all.

In addition to Wenan, Awang Tengah also paid courtesy call to Hebei Yanbo Color Coated Sheets Co Ltd (Hebei Yanbo) president Liu Jie on the same day to discuss the company’s intent to invest in galvanised steel sheets and colour coated steel sheets in Sarawak.

The Deputy Premier welcomed the proposed investment in view that the project is a downstream of the steel industry which the state is promoting, particularly in Sarawak Corridor of Renewable Energy (SCORE) areas.

“The project could strengthen the local steel industry whereby downstream players such as Hebei Yanbo could leverage on the products from upstream and midstream players in the steel industry when they come onboard,” he said.

Awang Tengah, who is also Second Natural Resources and Urban Development Minister, said steel manufacturing is one of the priority industries that has the potential to create huge downstream potentials particularly in construction, automobile as well as household goods.

He added that Hebei Yanbo has plans to visit Sarawak to further conduct feasibility study for the proposed project.

Source: Borneo Post

Company from China to implement Phase 1 of integrated steel project in Samalaju next year


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The Ministry of Investment, Trade and Industry (MITI) will safeguard domestic interests in all policies, including the New Industrial Master Plan 2030 (NIMP 2030), said its minister Tengku Datuk Seri Zafrul Abdul Aziz.

Despite the implementation of the policy of liberalisation, domestic direct investments (DDI) have continued to dominate in terms of approved investments, he said.

“For example, in the 10-year period from 2012 to 2021, approved DDI amounted to RM1.3 trillion, or 64 per cent of the total investments approved,” he said in a social media post in response to concerns that foreign capital would dominate in local equity holdings as a result of the NIMP 2030.

The minister explained that the liberalisation of the manufacturing sector began as far back as June 17, 2003, when 100 per cent foreign ownership in new manufacturing companies were permitted under the Second Industrial Master Plan (IMP 2).

“In other words, the liberalisation was not created by NIMP 2030; the policy (of liberalisation) has existed since IMP 2,” he said.

On concerns over economic liberalisation given to Tesla, Tengku Zafrul said the United States-based company’s entry into Malaysia is via the Battery Electric Vehicle Global Leaders Initiative (BEV GLI) programme, which is designed to attract exclusive electric vehicle (EV) makers to invest here.

According to him, Tesla’s presence will foster the confidence of other original equipment manufacturers to make Malaysia into their regional hub for EV technology.

“This will have a positive spillover effect on the national economy. We have already seen the entry of Tesla accelerating the transition to EVs in China, Hong Kong and Norway.

“When this happens, many local small and medium enterprises (SMEs) would benefit from participating in the EV ecosystem,” he said.

For the benefit of the locals, he said, Tesla’s presence in Malaysia is not just about selling cars.

“Many conditions have been imposed on it. For example, Tesla is required to install a large number of DC (direct current) fast chargers, many of which can also be used by other marques besides Tesla.

“Tesla also must employ and train locals, with at least 80 per cent of the company’s workforce being Malaysians,” he said.

Tesla is also required to collaborate with at least 10 higher education or technical and vocational education and training (TVET) centres for knowledge transfer.

“Furthermore, the company must work with at least 10 local companies and use local contractors for the local charging network to ensure that Malaysia benefits widely from its presence,” he said.

In conclusion, Tengku Zafrul explained, the NIMP 2030 targets to raise the manufacturing sector’s value added to almost RM588 billion by 2030, create 600,000 job opportunities and increase the median salary for the sector to at least RM4,510 per month.

“If such a strategy is not progressive for Malaysia, what then is progressive?” he asked.

Source: Bernama

Domestic interests to be protected in all govt policies, says Tengku Zafrul


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China is an important source for trade and investment that contributes significantly to the economic development of Sarawak, said Deputy Premier Datuk Amar Awang Tengah Ali Hasan.

The International Trade, Industry and Investment Minister said several investors from the Chinese republic have made Sarawak their operational base, such as for solar and steel manufacturing with more still under discussion.

“In the last 10 years, Chinese companies have invested over RM17.5 billion in Sarawak mainly in manufacturing of products such as basic metal, electrical and electronics and wood-based,” he said at the launch of the second edition of his ministry’s MINTRED Connects Programme in Beijing, China on Friday.

He said China is regarded as an important trading partner of Sarawak with total trade between the two valued at RM36.73 billion last year, which was an increase from RM27.045 billion in 2021.

“These include Sarawak exports to China valued at RM24.6 billion for items including liquefied natural gas, chemicals, minerals, edible oils, and so on, and Sarawak imports from China valued at RM11.74 billion for items including chemicals, mineral fuel, lubricants and miscellaneous manufactured articles,” he said.

At the event, MINTRED Connects Beijing received overwhelming response where Awang Tengah witnessed the signing of 11 Memorandum of Understandings (MoUs) between Sarawak companies with their Chinese partners in education, digital application and trade facilities.

The signing of these MOUs will pave the way for more collaborations in educational and technical as well as services between Malaysia, particularly Sarawak, and China.

MINTRED Connects will continue its promotional activities in China through participation in the China International Fair for Trade in Services from Sept 2-7 at China National Convention Centre.

The second edition of MINTRED Connects in Beijing was organised following the success of the programme in Guangzhou in June this year.

MINTRED Connects is the Ministry of International Trade, Industry and Investment’s outreach trade and investment promotion programme aimed to connect Sarawak entrepreneurs with potential partners and investors from all corners of the world.

The programme serves as one of the ministry’s efforts to provide more exposure to Sarawak’s small, medium enterprises and connect them with more opportunities from all over the world.

At the same time, MINTRED is engaging with investors who are keen to explore investment opportunities in Sarawak.

Also present were Deputy International Trade, Industry and Investment Minister Datuk Dr Malcolm Mussen Lamoh, MINTRED advisor Datuk Naroden Majais, acting permanent secretary Dzulkornain Masron, Ministry of Education, Innovation and Talent Development permanent secretary Azmi Bujang, and Regional Corridor Devleopment Authority chief executive officer Datu Ismawi Ismuni.

Source: Borneo Post

China important for trade, investment to boost Sarawak economic devt, says deputy premier


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The ambitious seven-year roadmap dubbed the New Industrial Master Plan (NIMP) 2030 unveiled by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim aims to increase manufacturing’s value by 6.5% to RM587.5bil by 2030.

“This indicates an increase of 61% derived by NIMP 2030 interventions for high-impact sectors – E&E (electrical and electronics), chemicals, EV (electric vehicle), aerospace, pharmaceuticals and advanced materials such as minerals and metals,” he said.

He said the NIMP 2030 will require total investments of RM95bil, which will be funded predominantly by the private sector mobilised from private equity, capital and financial markets.

“Close to 10% will be allocated by the government to help catalyse and incentivise these investments via the NIMP Industrial Development Fund and the NIMP Strategic Co-investment Fund,” he added.

According to Anwar, the NIMP 2030 adopts a mission-based approach, which is unlike the previous industrial transformation and the three industrial master plans launched since 1986.

“It is a horizontal policy with well-defined missions that will galvanise not only the entire manufacturing ecosystem, but also the whole of nation to drive industrial transformation and realise our vision,” he said.

Anwar added that with a short window of seven years, the NIMP 2030 must take a transformative approach to achieve its goals, and four missions have been formulated based on assessments and extensive consultations.

He said the four missions are to Advance Economic Complexity, to Tech Up for a Digitally Vibrant Nation, to push for a Net Zero Future, as well as Safeguarding Economic Security and Inclusivity.

These four missions, he added, will be supported by four key enablers – addressing financial challenges, nurturing talent development and acquisition, improving investors’ journey, and enhancing governance mechanisms.

To ensure effective implementation of NIMP 2030, Anwar announced that he will chair the National NIMP 2030 Council, which will consist of the relevant ministries and industry representatives.

“Public-private governance will be established to ensure timely and effective implementation.

“A Delivery Management Unit (DMU) under the Investment, Trade and Industry Ministry (Miti) will be set up to coordinate all efforts and drive cohesive implementation across stakeholders.”

Anwar also said Putrajaya will ensure the NIMP 2030 is carried out diligently and will benefit not only the private sector through better investments and trade prospects, but also the people through high-skill and high-income job opportunities.

“I need to stress that the vision of NIMP 2030 can only be successfully realised if we work together in unity towards achieving the missions.

“It is only with commitment to unity that we can fulfil our hopes for the country,” he added.

Source: The Star

‘Whole of nation’ approach to drive manufacturing


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High-value job opportunities are among the focuses of the newly launched New Industrial Master Plan (NIMP) 2030 as Putrajaya seeks to expand the middle class, says Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.

He said global trends such as the rising role of IR4.0 technology, climate change and sustainability practices, demographic shifts and the globalisation of value chains are changing the nature of jobs.

“Skills transformation is key to developing future competencies and this has been set as a focus of our industrial strategy,” he said when launching the NIMP 2030 at Menara Miti here yesterday.

Anwar said the NIMP 2030 will see the implementation of a progressive wage system that promotes skill development and career advancement.

“Public-private collaborations will be enhanced in the TVET (Technical and Vocational Education Training) and STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) programmes, ensuring the acquisition of skills required by the industry,” he added.

Anwar said the government’s Economy Madani framework and NIMP 2030 are both aligned in their focus on improving the lives of the people through projected higher returns from the national economic targets.

“This includes employment with meaningful wages and wealth-sharing to build a more equitable and prosperous society,” he said.

Anwar also said employment will see a projected growth of 2.3% from 2023, which is set to provide employment for 3.3 million people by 2030.

“The industry’s growing employment trajectory is due to the creation of high-skilled jobs as the country advances towards higher value-added activities and via improvements in automation and technological advancements,” he added.

Most importantly, said Anwar, through interventions under NIMP 2030, the median salary for the manufacturing sector is expected to grow to reach RM4,510 from RM1,976, which is below the national average.

“This 128% increase from 2021 will be driven by the shift of the industry towards higher value-added activities and the high-skilled job opportunities being created,” he said.

Anwar also said the NIMP 2030 will create more opportunities for local small and medium enterprises (SMEs) to grow through specific action plans. He said SMEs in manufacturing currently contribute only 8% to the GDP (gross domestic product) and 9% to exports.

“There is a lot of potential to grow our SMEs in manufacturing, in line with our Economy Madani aspiration to strengthen firms of all sizes,” he said, adding that the plans to develop SMEs’ capacities will enable them to be positioned higher in the global value chain.

“This, in turn, will help them scale up into mid-tier companies that could help Malaysia make more foreign exchange earnings.”

Anwar also said he was made to understand that the International Trade and Industry Ministry will launch a new framework in a few weeks to build SMEs’ environmental sustainable goals (ESG) capacity.

“This is important to ensure SMEs’ continued participation in ESG-compliant multinational vendor ecosystems and continued access to ESG-sensitive export markets,” he added.

The NIMP 2030 outlines Putrajaya’s plans to transform Malaysia into a high-tech, industrialised nation.

Source: The Star

NIMP 2030 is the ‘key to the future’


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The Federation of Malaysian Manufacturers (FMM) said the New Industrial Master Plan 2030 (NIMP 2030) would provide the right ecosystem to support the country’s economy in its transformation into a high-tech industrialised nation and towards achieving a developed nation and high-income status.

The plan, it said, is geared towards moving Malaysia’s manufacturing sector up the value chain to more high-technology and value-added and complex products, as well as developing the national technological capabilities which would be instrumental in support the high-technology manufacturing economy.

“FMM views the NIMP as being instrumental in supporting the Madani Economy framework and achieving the targets set for the next 10 years which amongst others is to be a leader of the Asian economy, ranked top 30 largest economies in the world, top 12 ranked in global competitiveness, increase labour share of income to reach 45%, increase female labour force participation to 60%, etc,” said FMM president Tan Sri Soh Thian Lai in a statement.

Launched by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim on Friday, NIMP2030 is focused on nurturing higher economic complexity; aggressively embracing technology, underscored by sustainability and inclusivity principles. 

Soh said the plan is critical at this juncture to propel the nation to its next level of industralisation and growth, as well in ensuring that its industries remain competitive in the very robust global marketplace.

“At the same time, it will help position Malaysia as a preferred investment destination with the right ecosystem in place to support high-technology and high value-added manufacturing activities and build the capacity of our home-grown SMEs and integrate them into value chains both domestically and global,” he added.

Similar to the collaborative efforts of the government and the private sector in developing NIMP 2030, Soh said it is important that these efforts are further strengthened to ensure that the plan is well executed, and the targets are achieved.

“Most importantly, the government must continue to commit to the highest level of efficiency and governance in ensuring the ease of doing business in the country,” he said.

Source: The Edge Malaysia

FMM says NIMP 2030 will provide right ecosystem for Malaysia’s transformation into high-tech industrialised nation


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The New Industrial Master Plan 2030 (NIMP 2030), while expected to boost the manufacturing gross domestic product (GDP) by 6.5% annually, contributing RM587.5 billion to total GDP by 2030, also provides a “much clearer signal” to investors on the future of the country and its key matters. 

Khazanah Research Institute deputy director Yin Shao Loong said the NIMP 2030 is timely to implement amid the current geopolitical movements, mainly in the semiconductor sector, as well as other impactful sectors. 

“Now [investors] can see (clearer, the future of the country and its key matters), based on the plans and the framework, as well as in terms of the high level on what [the country] is going to achieve. So I think it (the NIMP 2030) will have a positive [response] from the investors,” he noted. 
 
Meanwhile, MIDF Research said the announcement of NIMP 2030 is not expected to spur significant buying or selling reactions in the equity market in the short term. 
 
“We expect [that] the immediate market undertone shall continue to be dominated by a monetary statement or action of the US Fed (Federal Reserve). Hence, we maintain our FBM KLCI end-2023 target at 1,540 points or PER23 (price-earnings ratio for 2023) of 15.3 times,” it said. 
 
With the NIMP 2030 as a catalyst, manufacturing is expected to record a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 6.5% between 2022 to 2030 — higher than the CAGR of 4.8% in 2015 to 2019.  

This totalled a 61% increase from 2022, as growth accelerates in high-impact emerging growth sectors, including chemical, electrical and electronics (E&E), electric vehicle (EV), aerospace, pharmaceutical and advanced materials.  

“As of 2022, the combined GDP of these sub-sectors made up more than half of the manufacturing GDP, with great potential to house many additional high-tech and high value-added industries,” MIDF said in a note on Friday. 
 
The NIMP 2030 is set to drive employment up by 2.3% annually on average between 2022 until 2030, which will create a total of 3.3 million new jobs or a 20% increase in employment by 2030. 
 

The additional employment will primarily be in high-skilled jobs, as the NIMP will promote greater adoption of automation that will reduce reliance on low-skilled labour. 

This will push median pay to rise on a cumulative average of +9.6% between 2021-2030 to reach RM4,510 by 2030, or +128.0% increase from 2021.  

This will also be supported by the government’s progressive wage system (PWS) to increase the number of skilled workers and accelerate wage growth. 

NIMP targets comprehensive growth of highly-valued growth sectors

Compared to the previous Industrial Master Plan 3.0 (IMP 3.0), which only focused on several sectors under the manufacturing industry, “the biggest shift right now is that we are focusing on missions, rather than trying to achieve sectoral targets. When you [set to] achieve a sectorial target, it doesn’t always deliver strong results,” Yin told reporters after the NIMP 2030 launch on Friday. 

Earlier, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim unveiled the NIMP 2023, which will focus on high-impact sectors, namely E&E, chemical, EV, aerospace, pharmaceutical and advanced materials.   

“So, it is important for Malaysia to have a strategy going forward, in terms of delivering the best kind of future for the country. 

“This seven-year plan — until 2030 — is important because we need to do these big structural shifts, and it’s not gonna happen overnight,” he said. 

Execution is key

While NIMP 2030 has outlined the mission-based approach to drive high-impact industrial sectors, Socio-Economic Research Centre (SERC) executive director Lee Heng Guie said the real challenge now is the execution of the plans. 

“Without a careful and planned approach to execution, strategic goals cannot be attained. Hence, we need a pragmatic approach to monitor and track the progress of the proposed action plans and mission-based projects,” Lee told reporters. 

He said the plans also need timely interventions and facilitation across collaborations between ministries and agencies, as well as provide resolutions to achieve the deliverables. 

“While the lead agencies and involved parties were identified to implement the mission-based projects, accountability and responsibility are therefore critical to ensuring a successful implementation of the mission-based projects.  

“We need strong accountability to ensure alignment and coordination among the stakeholders and parties, to clearly define the project scope and deliverables,” he said.  

Meanwhile, Lee welcomed the government’s move to launch the NIMP 2030, as he sees the new plan as an effective one-stop centre to facilitate investments into the country. 

“This is a crucial mechanism, whereby relevant ministries and government agencies are coordinated at a single point to provide prompt, efficient and transparent services to investors, to shorten and simplify administrative procedures and guidelines ultimately, thereby removing bottlenecks faced by both local and foreign investors in establishing and running businesses in Malaysia,” he said. 

Source: The Edge Malaysia

NIMP 2030 to drive manufacturing GDP, offer clarity for investors — analysts


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Malaysia is looking to catalyse its next phase of industrial development, raise economic complexity and improve economic outcomes for all within seven years, guided by missions set out in the New Industrial Master Plan 2030 (NIMP 2030).

A key driver of the economy, Malaysia’s manufacturing sector currently accounts for 24% of gross domestic product and over 80% of total exports. It also employs 2.7 million individuals or around 17% of total employment in the country. Under the NIMP 2030, Malaysia wants to raise employment to 3.3 million persons and median salary in the manufacturing sector from RM1,976 a month to RM4,510 a month within seven years.

In his speech at the launch of the NIMP 2030 on Sept 1, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim described the master plan as “a key component” of the Madani Economy that would “support the realisation of economic reforms” as it is “designed to drive Malaysia’s trajectory as a global leader in industrial development, extend domestic linkages to create wealth across the nation as well as strengthen its position in the global value chain”.

“Malaysia’s focus remains on creating a high-income and skilled workforce, where the rakyat prosper and industries flourish,” Anwar wrote in his foreword in the 187-page NIMP 2030 that outlines the government’s reindustrialisation strategies.

In his foreword, Investment, Trade and Industry Minister Tengku Datuk Seri Zafrul Abdul Aziz acknowledged that the NIMP 2030 “is an ambitious plan” but added that he is “confident that with an effective implementation mechanism and support of all stakeholders, its objectives are highly achievable within the target time frame”.

In an exclusive interview, Tengku Zafrul tells The Edge why this “mission-based” master plan is different.

To know more about what Tengku Zafrul and industry experts have to say on the NIMP 2030, read our cover story this week by picking up a copy at newsstands.

Source: The Edge Malaysia

Mission: Reindustrialise Malaysia


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The New Industrial Master Plan 2030 (NIMP 2030) is instrumental in supporting the Madani Economy framework and achieving the targets set for the next 10 years, including being a leader of the Asian economy and ranking among the top 30 largest economies in the world and the top 12 in global competitiveness.

The Federation of Malaysian Manufacturers (FMM) said the NIMP 2030 would provide the right ecosystem to support the economy in its transformation into a high-tech industrialised nation and towards achieving a developed nation and high-income status.

It said the mission-based approach of NIMP 2030, focusing on nurturing higher economic complexity and aggressively embracing technology, underscored by sustainability and inclusivity principles, is indeed critical at this juncture to propel Malaysia to its next level of industrialisation and growth.

“The plan is geared towards moving our manufacturing sector up the value chain to more high-technology and high value-added and complex products, as well as developing our national technological capabilities, which would be instrumental in supporting the high-technology manufacturing economy.

“This, in turn, should provide greater job opportunities for Malaysians, including youth, and at the same time, elevate the workforce in terms of skills and knowledge to meet the requirements for a more highly skilled workforce to support the more complex and high technology products and services, innovation, and research and development activities,” it said in a statement.

The federation opined that the plan should translate into higher paying jobs for the people and, at the same time, open up more market access for local manufacturers, including markets that place a high requirement for products and services that are environmental, social and governance (ESG)-compliant.

It said that having the holistic ecosystem in place would most certainly elevate Malaysia’s attractiveness to both foreign and domestic investors, especially in the high-technology and innovation-driven segments.

In addition, the NIMP would address certain critical areas towards supporting the transformation of the economy to greater levels of industrialisation, and this would include providing an enabling environment for industries to engage in horizontal diversification towards a new set of end-product segments.

“Similar to the collaborative efforts of the government and the private sector in developing the NIMP 2030, it is important that this collaborative effort continues and is further strengthened to ensure that the plan is well executed and targets achieved.

“Most importantly, the government must continue to commit to the highest level of efficiency and governance in ensuring the ease of doing business in the country,” it added.

Separately, MIDF Research anticipated the value-added ratio for Malaysia’s manufacturing sector to improve, underpinned by greater input localisation, adoption of capital-intensive approaches, exploring high-end production for the technology sector and higher concentration on downstream activities of commodity-based products.

“Compared to the Third Industrial Master Plan (IMP3) (launched in 2006), the NIMP 2030 takes another transformative strategy, shifting from a sectoral-based approach to a mission-based approach.

“This approach outlines the targeted and focused action plans across the sectors, known as horizontal strategies, instead of focusing on the vertical action plans of individual sectors,” it said in a note.

Meanwhile, the American Malaysian Chamber of Commerce (Amcham) said it looked forward to continuing its active collaboration and partnership with the Malaysian government and working in alignment with the NIMP’s four key missions.

“Amcham believes that engaging in regular consultations with stakeholders to address implementation challenges fosters discussions among the United States companies/investors and government decision-makers to identify the best path towards sustainable and ESG-conscious investments collectively and to ensure the success of the master plan’s implementation.

“Prudent governance in monitoring and implementing reforms and outlined projects and maintaining effective communication with stakeholders through regular reviews of key milestones will also help in ensuring its implementation,” it said in a statement.

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim on Friday launched the NIMP 2030, which is a comprehensive policy framework that includes missions, priorities and action plans for transforming the manufacturing sector in Malaysia.

Source: Bernama

NIMP 2030 instrumental in supporting Madani Economy framework


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The New Industrial Master Plan (NIMP) 2030 has set the breakthrough agenda for the Malaysian manufacturing sector’s next take-off in the new green industrial age, said the think tank Socio-Economic Research Centre (SERC).

Its executive director, Lee Heng Guie, said the master plan has mapped out a comprehensive industrial direction, strategies, and enablers to position Malaysia for new growth catalytic sectors and industries in the decades ahead.

“It is a pivotal moment for Malaysia’s industrial development. Malaysia’s manufacturing sector has to accelerate IR 4.0, taking advantage of smart technologies to move its production base up the value chain while conforming to environmental, social, and governance (ESG) and meeting net zero.

“Amid increasing geo-economic complexity and the escalating impacts of climate change, Malaysia needs a new generation of sustainable industrial transformation to ever up the economy to sustain a resilent and competitive advantage internationally,” he told reporters after the launching of NIMP 2023 today.

Lee said domestic manufacturing industries must strengthen their resilience and competitiveness to counter operational challenges caused by geo-economic conflicts that disrupt supply chains, resource scarcity that threatens energy and utility security, and adverse climate change disruptions.

The NIMP 2030, launched by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, adopts a mission-based approach to drive the manufacturing transformation in four ways, namely, advancing economic complexity, tech-up for a digitally vibrant nation, pushing for net-zero carbon emission, and safeguarding economic security and inclusivity.

The high-impact sectors include electrical and electronics (E&E), chemical, electric vehicle, aerospace, and pharmaceutical.

Lee said domestic direct investment (DDI), especially by micro, small and medium entrepreneurs (MSMEs), is crucial for supporting the industrial ecosystem.

“The inclusion of DDI as a key performance indicator (KPI) is a positive step to facilitate and raise the quality of domestic investment. MSMEs should be provided with opportunities to gradually scale up their industries through horizontal and vertical integration as well as to embrace green practices.

“This necessitates capital investment in advancing technological and digitalisation capabilities, ensuring an ample supply of highly skilled and knowledge-based human capital, and more importantly, access to financing, grant and development funds,” he said.

Lee opined that introducing the NIMP Strategic Co-Investment Fund and NIMP Industrial Development Fund would support strategies, action plans, and missionbased projects as well as industries and businesses, especially MSMEs.

The government announced it would allocate RM8.2 billion to fund the NIMP 2030 action plans throughout its implementation period.

“We also support the implementation of the multi-tier levy model to reduce over-dependence on low-skilled foreign workers, but the levy must not be too steep during the transition period as it would be significantly burdening the employment and operating costs of MSMEs,” he said.

Ensuring the competitiveness of SMEs

Federation of Malaysian Manufacturers (FMM) president Tan Sri Soh Thian Lai said adopting a mission-based approach is essential for ensuring the competitiveness of our small and medium entrepreneurs (SMEs).

He said SMEs have yet to embrace the latest technologies, making it imperative for the government to support them through a mission-oriented strategy.

“This approach involves providing funds to facilitate the transformation of SMEs, allowing them to shift towards export-oriented operations — a goal we aspire to achieve. The crux lies in the notion that when guided by a mission and executed effectively, the allure of foreign direct investments strengthens.

This confidence, in turn, attracts foreign investors, and even domestic ones (DDI), provided they demonstrate promising outcomes. This interplay propels the integration of our industries into the global supply chain,” he said.

Soh said collaborative efforts between the private sector and the government are imperative, particularly in enhancing workforce capabilities in the knowledge-based economy.

Meanwhile, Khazanah Research Institute deputy director of research Yin Shao Loong said the NIMP 2030 is timely as much geopolitical movement is happening right now, especially in semiconductors and other areas.

So it is important for Malaysia to have a strategy going forward in terms of delivering the best kind of future for the country. And that is why having this kind of seven-year plan until 2030 is important because you need to do these big structural shifts.

“The biggest shift is that now we’re focusing on missions rather than trying to achieve sectoral targets. When we chose a thorough target, it didn’t always deliver strong results. When we look at overall economic complexity, then it’s a broader challenge, but then, in some ways, you can push it from many different avenues,” he said.

Yin added that the newly launched master plan would give a much clearer signal to investors about what Malaysia wants for the future.

Source: Bernama

NIMP 2030 sets breakthrough agenda for manufacturing sector’s next take-off — SERC


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Malaysia rolled out its fourth industrial master plan today, which aims to revitalise the country’s manufacturing sector and increase its value-added turnaround to RM587.5 billion by 2030.

Dubbed as the New Industrial Master Plan 2030 (NIMP 2030) and costing some RM95 billion in total investment over the period of its implementation, the seven-year-long plan is expected to provide employment for 3.3 million people through the creation of high-skilled jobs as the country advances towards higher value-added activities and improvement in automation as well as technological advancements.

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim described the NIMP as the key component of the “Madani Economy: Empowering the People” framework, which was unveiled by the unity government on July 27.

“The NIMP 2030 is designed to drive Malaysia’s trajectory as a global leader in industrial development, extend the domestic linkages to create wealth across the nation as well as strengthen its position in the global value chain.

“This plan is timely to expedite the transformation of industries in Malaysia, aligning them with the country’s vision,” he said in his speech at the launching ceremony of the NIMP here today.

Present were Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, Investment, Trade and Industry (MITI) Minister Tengku Datuk Seri Zafrul Abdul Aziz, Communications and Digital Minister Fahmi Fadzil and several other Cabinet members.

Unlike the previous industrial transformations and three industrial master plans since 1986, Anwar, who is also the Finance Minister, said the NIMP 2030 adopts a mission-based approach.

“With a short window of seven years, the NIMP 2030 must take a transformative and expeditious approach to achieve the goals.”

Anwar later outlined the four missions of the NIMP 2030 which are to advance economic complexity, tech up for a digitally vibrant nation, to strive for net-zero future and to safeguard economic security and inclusivity.

These missions will be supported by four enablers which are to mobilise the financing ecosystem, foster talent development and attraction, strengthen best-in-class investor journey for ease of doing business and to introduce a whole-of-nation governance framework.

The government, he said, is confident that the strategies in the NIMP 2030 will produce “meaningful outcomes and a big impact” to the national economy.

“Specifically, the NIMP 2030 aims to increase the Manufacturing’s value-add to RM587.5 billion by 2030, growing by 6.5 per cent from what it is today.

“This indicates an increase of 61 per cent and is derived by NIMP 2030 interventions for high-impact sectors such as electrical and electronic, chemical, electric vehicle, aerospace, pharmaceutical as well as advanced materials such as minerals and metal.”

In terms of employment, Anwar said the government projected growth at 2.3 per cent from this year onwards.

“What is most important is the projection that through NIMP’s interventions, the median salary in the manufacturing sector is expected to grow by 9.6 per cent, reaching RM4,510 from RM1,976, which is below the national average despite the sector’s dominant role in the national gross domestic product (GDP).

“This 128 per cent increase from 2021 is driven by the shift of the industry towards higher value-added activities and high-skilled jobs opportunities created,” he said.

To ensure timely and effective implementation, Anwar announced the creation of the National NIMP 2030 Council to be chaired by him.

The council, he said, will include the participation of the relevant ministries and industry representatives.

“Public-private governance will be established to ensure timely and effective implementation.

“A Delivery Management Unit (DMU) under MITI will be set up to coordinate all efforts and drive cohesive implementation across stakeholders.”

On the RM95 billion in total investment required to implement the NIMP 2030, Anwar said it would be predominantly derived from the private sector mobilised from private equity, capital and financial markets.

“Close to 10 per cent will be allocated by the government to help catalyse and incentivise these investments via the NIMP Industrial Development Fund and the NIMP Strategic Co-investment Fund.”

Source: NST

Govt rolls out seven-year New Industrial Master Plan (NIMP 2030), create 3.3 mil jobs


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The New Industrial Master Plan 2030 (NIMP 2030) adopts a mission-based approach, unlike the previous industrial transformation plan and three master plans since 1986, said Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.

He said NIMP 2030 is a horizontal policy with well-defined missions that will galvanise not only the entire manufacturing ecosystem but also the whole of nation to drive industrial transformation and realise Malaysia’s vision.

“With a short window of seven years, NIMP 2030 must take a transformative and expeditious approach to achieve the goals. Based on rigorous assessments and extensive consultations, four missions have been formulated to drive industry transformation on a large scale,” Anwar said in his speech at the launch of the NIMP 2030 here, today.

The four missions are to advance economic complexity, to tech up for a digitally vibrant nation, to push for net-zero carbon emission, and to safeguard economic security and inclusivity.

These missions will be supported by four key enablers to overcome systemic and institutional challenges, he said.

“These enablers include addressing financing challenges, nurturing talent development and acquisition, improving the investor journey, and enhancing governance mechanisms.

“To provide the impetus for immediate roll-out of NIMP implementation, several mission-based projects (MBPs) have been identified,” said the prime minister.

He noted that these ground-running projects are expected to accelerate the development of an inclusive ecosystem that integrates the small and medium enterprises (SMEs) into the value chain and rally the entire industry.

The new master plan would see more MBPs in the near future as the industry is expected to embrace this new approach and realise the benefits it bring to companies and the spillovers it would create for the economy, said Anwar.

To establish greater economic integration with the neighbouring countries, he said NIMP 2030 plans to establish stronger cooperation with them for a more resilient supply chain, with the pursuit for vertical integration of selected industries across the Asean countries.

“It bears stressing the importance of foreign direct investments (FDI) as they indirectly increase the Domestic Direct Investments (DDIs) as multinational companies (MNCs) based in Malaysia will source products and services from local companies.

“Strategic DDIs also have the potential to attract more FDIs as investors consider DDIs as the benchmark for the domestic investors’ confidence and commitment towards strengthening the nation’s investment and business landscape,” he said.

Recognising the importance of environmental, social and governance (ESG) considerations and its role in reforming the economic landscape, the NIMP has dedicated an entire chapter – “Push for Net Zero” – as part of its Missions, said Anwar.

“This aims to decarbonise Malaysia’s industries to achieve net-zero emission goals through proactive measures such as the implementation of energy efficiency and waste management initiatives, rapid renewable energy and technology adoption, supported by a robust regulatory framework,” he added.

The prime minister said the Ministry of Trade, Investment and Industry (Miti) also has a framework that will be launched in a few weeks’ time to build SMEs’ ESG capacity.

“This is important to ensure the SMEs’ continued participation in ESG-compliant MNC vendor ecosystems, and continued access to ESG-sensitive export markets,” he added.

Anwar said, to ensure inclusivity, NIMP 2030 will also create opportunities for Malaysian SMEs to grow in the manufacturing sector.

“Our SMEs in manufacturing currently contribute only 8.0 per cent to the gross domestic product and 9.0 per cent to exports. There is a lot of potential to grow our SMEs in manufacturing, in line with our Madani Economy aspiration to strengthen firms of all sizes.

“NIMP 2030 has, for example, specific action plans to build SMEs’ capacities to enable them to be positioned higher in global value chains. This, in turn, will help them scale up into mid-tier companies that could help Malaysia earn more foreign exchange earnings,” he added.

Source: Bernama

NIMP 2030 adopts mission-based approach, to galvanise entire manufacturing ecosystem – PM


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The Forest City’s special financial zone (SFZ) status would present a strategic move to boost foreign investment and simultaneously stimulate the economic growth in Iskandar Malaysia.

Iskandar Investment Bhd (IIB) president and chief executive officer Datuk Idzham Mohd Hashim said as a key catalyst and strategic developer within Iskandar Malaysia Flagship Zone B, which includes Medini and EduCity, IIB believed that the SFZ status presented promising investment opportunities and signifies a big boost to spur the economic growth for the entire region.

“The close proximity between Medini and Forest City provides an ideal opportunity in pursuit of our vision to build an inclusive and sustainable metropolis of the future through seamless cooperation, identification of opportunities as well as complementing the proposed establishment of a Johor-Singapore Special Economic Zone,” he said in a statement today.

Idzham said IIB is also committed to work closely with the federal and state governments regarding Johor-Singapore Economic Zone establishment while waiting for more comprehensive details on it.

“Johor has always been a competitive destination for investments and IIB’S developments within the region stand as a testament to this narrative.

“With robust infrastructure, multimodal transportation facilities and strategic positioning that place us a mere 15 minutes away from Forest City and only 20 minutes to Singapore, IIB is well-prepared to leverage the potential opportunities arising from the SFZ too,” he said.

On August 25, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim announced the creation of a special financial zone in Forest City as well as several incentives to boost economic activity in Johor and the surrounding areas. 

Source: Bernama

Iskandar Investment: Forest City’s special financial zone status to boost foreign investments, stimulate economic growth in Iskandar Malaysia


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A hyperscale green data centre testbed and training programme is poised to be established in Sarawak through the collaboration involving clean energy solutions provider Solarvest Holdings Bhd, the Sarawak Foundation’s subsidiary Centre for Technology Excellence Sarawak (Centexs), Huawei Technologies (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd, and GreenBay CES Sdn Bhd.

Solarvest’s subsidiary Solarvest Borneo Sdn Bhd today inked a memorandum of understanding with the other three companies in Beijing, China, towards fostering the hyperscale green data centre industry in the Borneo region.

In a joint statement, Solarvest said the partnership will bring together the parties’ respective skills and areas of specialisation.

The establishment of the hyperscale green data centre testbed and training programme is expected to spur research and development collaborations and intellectual property creation in clean energy solutions, the statement said.

Solarvest Borneo will contribute its expertise in green energy and energy efficiency solutions, and Centexs will provide a dedicated testbed area for practical data centre operations training.

Meanwhile, Huawei Malaysia will leverage on its technological know-how in cloud computing, enterprise intelligence, renewable energy and data centres to support the training needs of the programme.

Complementing these efforts, GreenBay will lend its expertise in constructing future-proofed data centres in a cost-efficient manner, it said.

“Under this collaboration, the four parties aim to promote environmental responsibility by establishing hyperscale data centres that reduce carbon footprint and optimise resource utilisation.

“Ultimately, this initiative aims to enhance the sustainability, reliability and efficiency of data services,” said the statement. 

Source: Bernama

Hyperscale green data centre testbed, training programme to be set up in Sarawak


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Leading global provider of computer power infrastructure and services, xFusion International Pte Ltd, has partnered with NationGate Holdings Berhad to set up a global supply centre (GSC) in Perai here.

This is the Chinese-based company’s first global supply centre in Malaysia.

“By 2024, the Penang GSC will supply the full range of xFusion products including the latest GPU servers and the annual production capacity will exceed more than 150,000 units, covering around 80 per cent of the global shipments outside of China,” xFusion chief executive officer Jeffrey Liu told a press conference after the launch of the xFusion Penang GSC here today.

He said the company also plans to further establish a research and development centre in Malaysia and Singapore and to increase their investment in the South-east Asian region.

“We expect to have thousands of job opportunities, specifically in the R&D sector,” he said.

Penang-based electronics manufacturing services provider, NationGate is xFusion’s strategic partner to manufacture the GPU (Graphics Processing Unit) servers for the global market.

Liu said the Penang GSC, covering 254,491 sq ft, has an annual production capacity of over 150,000 units of equipment including the GPU server and it will be the key hub for xFusion’s international market.

He added that xFusion hopes to be in the top two companies for computer power infrastructure and services in China and top four globally with a revenue growth rate of over 30 per cent.

“We have successfully served over 200 global Fortune 509 companies and customers with high computing demand such as Singapore’s SEA, Korea’s Kakao, Volkswagen Group, Banco do Brazil, Saudi Aramco and many more,” he said.

He said xFusion has also forged partnerships with Intel, Nvidia, Samsung and VMware.

Penang Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow, who was also present at the same news conference, pointed out the state’s thriving ecosystem of electronics and electrical players.

“I am hopeful for this new global supply centre to strengthen xFusion worldwide supply network, while ensuring continuous and consistent delivery of products and services globally.

“With an investment value of RM1.7 billion for the next three years, this state-of-the-art centre is poised to have an expected production capacity of over 150,000 units of servers annually,” he added.

He said Penang is committed to promoting the growth of emerging sectors here.

“I am confident this collaboration between xFusion and NationGate will translate into immense potential which will only strengthen Penang’s digital infrastructure and connectivity,” Chow said.

Source: Malay Mail

China tech firm xFusion partners Malaysian manufacturer NationGate to open RM1.7b facility in Penang


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Anwar added that the government is confident that the strategies in NIMP 2030 would yield meaningful outcomes and produce a big impact on the national economy.

The New Industrial Master Plan 2030 (NIMP 2030) aims to increase the manufacturing sector’s value-added by 6.5 per cent to RM587.5 billion by 2030, derived from the master plan’s “interventions” for high-impact sectors, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said.

The high-impact sectors include electrical and electronics (E&E), chemical, electric vehicle, aerospace and pharmaceutical.

“In terms of employment, a growth of 2.3 per cent from 2023 has been projected. This is due to the creation of high-skilled jobs as the country advances towards higher value-added activities and improvement in automation and technological advancements,“ he said in his speech at the launch of NIMP 2030 here, today.

Anwar added that the government is confident that the strategies in NIMP 2030 would yield meaningful outcomes and produce a big impact on the national economy.

Source: Bernama

NIMP 2030: Manufacturing’s value-added to grow 6.5% to RM587.5b – PM


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Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim today unveiled the country’s New Industrial Master Plan 2030 (NIMP), which aims to increase manufacturing’s value to RM587.5 billion by 2030.

Informed by four missions and supported by four key enablers, Anwar said the implementation would result in a growth of 2.3 per cent from this year onward, providing livelihood for 3.3 million people by 2030.

“What is most important is the projection that through NIMP’s interventions, the median salary in the manufacturing sector is expected to grow by 9.6 per cent, reaching RM4,510 from RM1,976, which is below the national average despite the sector’s dominant role in the national gross domestic product (GDP).

“This 128 per cent increase from 2021 is driven by the shift of the industry towards higher value-added activities and high-skilled jobs opportunities created,” said Anwar, who is also the Finance Minister, at the launching of the NIMP.

Present were Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, Investment, Trade and Industry (MITI) Minister Tengku Datuk Seri Zafrul Abdul Aziz, Communications and Digital Minister Fahmi Fadzil and members of the Cabinet.

Anwar added that the NIMP requires an estimated total investment of RM95 billion through its seven years, predominantly from the private sector mobilised from private equity, capital and financial markets.

To ensure timely and effective implementation, Anwar also announced the setting-up of public-private governance.

“A Delivery Management Unit (DMU) under the Ministry of Investment, Trade and Industry (MITI) will be set up to coordinate all efforts and drive cohesive implementation across stakeholders.”

Source: NST

PM rolls out New Industrial Master Plan 2030


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The implementation of the New Industrial Master Plan (NIMP) is expected to facilitate the integration of small and medium enterprises (SME) in the supply chain ecosystem.

Investment, Trade and Industry Minister Tengku Datuk Seri Zafrul Abdul Aziz said NIMP 2030 would help share a more robust manufacturing sector to generate broad-based benefits for various stakeholders.

He said Malaysia is moving towards a liberal approach within its policies that will exert a positive spillover effect to the economy and people.

“When we make policy, especially at the ministry, what we want to see is that it ends up beneficial to the local companies, especially the SMEs in terms of the supply chain.

“Just like in the NIMP, we hope we can elevate the status of our SMEs so that they can be part of the supply chain as what the prime minister has said just now, we are now looking at targeting households to go up higher than what we have today,” he told the media at the launch of NIMP 2030 by Prime Minister datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim here today.

Tengku Zafrul said the government is willing to look at policies that are progressive which will result in a positive spillover effect to the Malaysian companies.

The government has earmarked close to 10 per cent of funding to propel the plan through the NIMP Industrial Development Fund and the NIMP Strategic Co-Investment Fund.

Tengku Zafrul added that the funding was derived from the government’s fiscal space, which is part of the development budget.

“Part of the details on this will be revealed during the 2024 Budget as the other part has been revealed previously to which we will elaborate further in the near future,” he said.

On private sector’s involvement, he said various stakeholders from the sector were involved in the negotiations and deliberations during the formulation of NIMP.

“The amount of money that we are looking at, also includes from the private sector, in this case both the capital markets and the financial institutions and then development financial institutions to how they can assist in this.”

He added that there is a need for the plan to be commercially driven as industry players from the private sector will look at the viability of the investment.

“That’s why we need to make it commercially viable, to make it more sustainable and inclusive as well. This will involve all, including GLCs and capital investment from their part as well,” he added.

With the involvement of the private sector in the plan, the delivery management unit under Tengku Zafrul’s ministry will be set up to coordinate all efforts and drive cohesive implementation across stakeholders.

This is additional to the NIMP council which involves various ministries and agencies that oversee the execution of the plan.

Tengku Zafrul added that the unit will ensure timely and effective implementation through periodically released report to inform internal and external stakeholders as well as the public about the  progress of the NIMP and various other initiatives.

Source: NST

NIMP to facilitate SME integration in supply chain: Tengku Zafrul


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Zahid said that like the prime minister, he also hoped to see Malaysia becoming a superior investment destination, thereby increasing the country’s ability at the international level.

The New Industrial Master Plan 2030 (NIMP 2030) is capable of making Malaysia a leading country in the high-tech industry sector through the goals and four missions outlined in the plan.

Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi (pix) said the plan would also boost digital transformation which would create hundreds of thousands of job opportunities for young people.

“This NIMP is a comprehensive policy framework that includes the mission, priorities and action plan for transforming the manufacturing sector in Malaysia.

“Thus, the confidence placed by the leadership of the Unity Government on NIMP because it will make Malaysia a high-tech industrial country with digital transformation,“ he said in a post on Facebook today.

Earlier, Ahmad Zahid attended the launch of the NIMP 2030 by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim at Dewan Perdana, Menara MITI, here.

Ahmad Zahid said that like the prime minister, he also hoped to see Malaysia becoming a superior investment destination, thereby increasing the country’s ability at the international level.

NIMP 2030, a key component of Ekonomi Madani framework, is designed to drive Malaysia’s trajectory as a global leader in industrial development, extend the domestic linkages to create wealth across the nation and strengthen its position in the global value chain.

The master plan adopts a mission-based approach. Four missions have been formulated to drive industry transformation at a large scale namely to advance economic complexity, to tech up for a digitally vibrant nation, to push for Net Zero, and to safeguard economic security and inclusivity.

Source: Bernama

Zahid: NIMP 2030 capable of making Malaysia a leading country in high-tech industry


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