Malaysia targets meetings and conferences market
Malaysia’s Prime Minister Najib Razak says that the country is aiming to become one of the top five meetings, incentives, convention and exhibition (MICE) destinations in Asia-Pacific in the next five years. “Malaysia has all the inherent ingredients to be successful, such as growing accessibility, competitive pricing, leading edge infrastructure, multicultural attraction and professional expertise,” he told reporters. In 2008, Malaysia was ranked in eighth place for the MICE market in Asia Pacific and 32nd in the world. “We are confident that with the combined efforts of all stakeholders...
March 8th, 2010
Duty on golf buggies dropped to boost industry
Malaysia’s Prime Minister Najib Razak has announced that import duty on golf buggies has been abolished in a bid to help boost the country’s golf industry. The Prime Minister, presenting prizes at the Maybank Malaysia Open said, “One of the ways in which we can help the development of quality golf courses in this country as well as to ensure that golf clubs in this country provide better facilities, is to remove import duty on buggies.” In 2009, Malaysia received 350,000 visitors who came to the country specifically to play golf.
March 8th, 2010
Broadband to reach 50 percent of population, says Minister
Malaysia is expected to reach its target of 50 percent broadband penetration by the end of the year, says Information Communications and Culture Minister Datuk Seri Utama Dr Rais Yatim. Broadband currently reaches 32.4 percent of the population. “It is believed that every increase of 100,000 users of laptop computers equipped with broadband facilities will increase the broadband penetration rate by one percent,” he said at the launch of Asia Pacific Regional Internet Conference Operational Technologies in Kuala Lumpur.
March 8th, 2010
Six percent GDP growth achievable, says Minister
Malaysia’s targeted GDP growth of six per cent this year is achievable says Deputy Finance Minister, Awang Adek Husin. The Minister said that the outlook was promising thanks to the improving global economic climate. “Exports will improve when foreign economies are improving and this will be translated into stronger demand. We see improvement on domestic demand and the timely increase in exports will certainly push our economy,” he told reporters. The Minister said that consumer sentiment is growing and he pointed to statistics from the Malaysian Automotive Association which indicate...
March 3rd, 2010
Ministry to draw up policy to enhance Malaysian culture
Malaysia’s Information Communication and Culture Ministry is to formulate a policy to enhance or commercialise the country’s arts and culture. Minister, Datuk Seri Dr Rais Yatim said, ”We are studying the creative industry more closely and the Ministry, with the cooperation of the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation and the Ministry of Education, will look closely at how we have to develop the creative industry to meet the commercial needs and requirement of our own arts and culture. ” He added that the government is helping the local music industry to...
March 3rd, 2010
Malaysia’s PM to open regional summit on economic crime
Prime Minister Najib Razak will open a regional symposium in Kuala Lumpur June 23 on the prevention of economically motivated serious crime. The three-day event will be jointly hosted by the Companies Commission of Malaysia and the Centre for International Documentation on Economic and Organised Crime which is based at Cambridge University in the UK. Delegates will discuss a range of issues including corruption, insider dealing and controlling fraud.
March 3rd, 2010
Malaysia’s growth better than expected in Q4
Malaysia’s economic performance was better than expected in the fourth quarter of 2009, says Prime Minister Najib Razak. Growth of 4.5 percent in the period October to December 2009 was driven by higher exports and more domestic demand. “The worst is over and the economy could expand 4 percent to 5 percent this year. We are quite bullish. The Malaysian economy has turned around and recovered from the implications of the global crisis,” the Prime Minister told reporters. In addition, Malaysia’s unemployment rate dropped to 3.5 percent in the fourth quarter of 2009, a report from the...
March 1st, 2010
Malaysia needs to focus on R&D
Malaysia needs to focus more on research and development (R&D) in science, technology and innovation (STI) if the country is to reach a higher level of development says Datuk Hong Lee Pee president of the Asean Academy of Engineering and Technology. He said that science, technology and innovation supports all kinds of other industries and could help change Malaysia’s economy into one based on knowledge. However, he warned that for that to happen Malaysia will have to train its people.
March 1st, 2010
Malaysia & Indonesia talks – defence industries
Malaysia is in talks with Indonesia about possible co-operation on developing both nations’ defence industries. Defence Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said, “Indonesia and Malaysia have their respective expertise in the defence industry, thus, if this cooperation can be achieved and later expanded to the Asean nations, it will be a good start for the asset industry and the defence equipment industry.” And he added, “We are still discussing how to strengthen bilateral cooperation in the defence industry pertaining to armoured vehicles, Maintenance Repair and for the assets...
February 24th, 2010
Malaysia leader in Apac contact centres
Malaysia’s multi-lingual population is driving the country’s growth in the contact centre market in Asia Pacific (Apac) according to Interactive Intelligence Inc, a global business telecoms provider. It says that Malaysia is on track to become the market leader in the region with an estimated market size of RM94 million this year and that Malaysia’s contact – or call centre – business is expected to grow 20 percent to 25 percent in 2010. Last year, Malaysia’s contact centre market contributed 13 percent to 15 percent to the Apac market, making it one of the leading country contributors...
February 24th, 2010
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