CHINESE INVESTMENT INTO THE REGION IS SOMETHING WE CANNOT IGNORE

At the MICCI Annual Business Luncheon, key discussions focused on enhancing Malaysia’s trade and investment ecosystem. One of the major proposals put forth by MICCI was the construction of an elevated pedestrian travelator linking the Johor Bahru CIQ to the Woodland CIQ. This initiative aims to alleviate the severe daily traffic congestion at the Causeway. Acknowledging the current fiscal constraints faced by the government, MICCI suggested that the project could be developed via a Public-Private Partnership model using a Build-Operate-Transfer (BOT) framework.

YB Dr. Ong Kian Ming emphasized that Malaysia remains a strong destination for foreign direct investment (FDI), with RM61.6 billion approved between January and August 2018, a significant increase from RM40.4 billion in the same period the previous year. He pointed out that China leads as the top investing country, followed by Indonesia, the Netherlands, the United States, Japan, and Singapore. The wide distribution of investments across countries and industries provides Malaysian SMEs with valuable opportunities and helps create high-quality jobs across the country.

Dr. Ong also introduced MITI’s new “3S” strategy — Search, Seek, and Secure — aimed at proactively identifying and attracting strategic investments. This approach was successfully piloted during recent trade missions to Japan and Korea, which generated potential investments exceeding RM2.8 billion in sectors such as electronics, petrochemicals, and medical devices.

Looking ahead, the Five-Year Trade and Investment Plan (2019–2024) will reflect the government’s commitment to improving Malaysia’s business climate. A total of 130 existing investment incentives will be reviewed under the purview of 32 investment promotion agencies to ensure relevance and competitiveness.

Datuk Isham Ishak, Secretary General of MITI, acknowledged that six months is too brief a period to fairly assess the government’s progress. He encouraged MICCI to organize another session in a year’s time, where more substantial developments can be shared. The luncheon concluded on an optimistic note, with all parties committed to continued engagement and collaboration toward national economic growth.