On 6 April 2021, the Japan External Trade Organisation (JETRO) Kuala Lumpur organised an online investment forum titled ‘Malaysia in its Present State’ over Zoom, alongside the co-organisers, the Ministry of International Trade and Industry (MITI) Malaysia, Malaysian Investment Development Authority (MIDA) and the Iskandar Regional Development Authority (IRDA). MAJECA and its counterpart, JAMECA were supporting organisations for this event.
Since the outbreak of the novel coronavirus pandemic, there has been transformation in supply chains and business models worldwide. Malaysia has not been spared from this pandemic. There has been changes in its investment environment with the implementation of various restrictions such as the Movement Control Order (MCO), which have halted economic activities and restricted daily movements of its people.
This forum comprises 2 sessions. Session I covered the general investment environment in Malaysia, focusing on promoted sectors in Malaysia, manufacturing industry of high value-added products, digital industry, as well as regional headquarters. The speakers at the forum comprised of the Malaysian government and Japanese companies based in Malaysia who spoke on topics relating to the latest investment environment and available government incentives.
Session II, focused on the state of Johor, particularly on the economic corridor of “Iskandar Malaysia”. This session highlighted the investment opportunities, its digital ecosystem and explaining the recent trends of the Japanese companies operating in this corridor.
<PROGRAMME OUTLINE>
Date: April 6, 2021 (Tuesday)
Time: From 14:00 pm onwards (Malaysia time) / from 15:00 pm onwards (Japan time)
Platform: Zoom
Languages: Japanese/English (simultaneous interpretation)
Agenda:
Session I: “Attractiveness of the Investment Environment in Malaysia”
Time: 14:00 pm – 15:30 pm (Malaysia time) / 15:00 pm – 16:30 pm (Japan time)
Organizer: JETRO (Japan External Trade Organization)
Co-organizer: MITI, MIDA
Supported by:
Embassy of Japan in Malaysia, Ministry of Economy, Trade & Industry Japan (METI), The Japanese Chamber of Commerce & Industry, Malaysia (JACTIM), The Japan Chamber of Commerce and Industry, The Japan-Malaysia Economic Association (JAMECA), Malaysia-Japan Economic Association (MAJECA).
Moderator: Ms. Mai Onozawa, Managing Director of JETRO Kuala Lumpur
Time (MY)
14:00 – 14:10
–
Opening Remarks by YB Dato’ Seri Mohamed Azmin bin Ali, Senior Minister and Minister of International Trade & Industry Malaysia (MITI)
14:10 – 14:15
Welcoming Remarks by H.E. Hiroshi Oka, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Japan to Malaysia
14:15 – 14:30
Topic: Malaysia’s Investment Policy by Mr. Ahmad Khairuddin Bin Abdul Rahim, Deputy Chief Executive Officer II (DCEO II) of MIDA
14:30 – 14:40
Topic: Digital Transformation between Malaysia and Japan by Mr. Hideaki Fujisawa, Director, Asia and Pacific Division, Trade Policy Bureau of METI, Japan
14:40 – 14:50
Q&A Session
14:50 – 15:25
Panel Discussion “Malaysia in its new light”
Moderator: Mr. Hironobu Kitagawa, Executive VP of JETRO
Panelist:
Mr. Hideyuki Yoshida
MD of Konica Minolta Business Technologies (M) S/B
15:25 – 15:30
Closing Remarks for Session I by Mr. Nobuhiko Sasaki, Chairman & CEO of JETRO
15:30 – 15:40
Break
Session II: “Attractiveness of the Investment Environment in Johor”
Time: 15:40 pm – 16:50 pm (Malaysia time) / 16:40 pm – 17:50 pm (Japan time)
Organizer: JETRO (Japan External Trade Organization)
Co-organizer: IRDA
Supported by: MITI, MIDA, Embassy of Japan in Malaysia
Moderator: Mr. Yamada Takayoshi, JETRO Kuala Lumpur
15:40 – 16:00
Topic: Investment Environment in Johor & Incentives for Promoted Sector by Mr. Engku Ahmad Kamel, Director Economics & Investment of Iskandar Reginal Development Authority (IRDA)
16:00 – 16:20
Topic: Digital Ecosystem in Johor & the latest updates on Blockchain Village by Mr. Zulfiqar Zainuddin, Managing Director of IIB Ventures Sdn Bhd
16:20 – 16:40
Topic: Corporate trends among Japanese companies in Johor & the Introduction of MEDINI projects by Mr. Yasuhiro Nakano, Executive Vice President of MEDINI ISKANDAR Malaysia
16:40 – 16:50
Q&A Session
END
This timely online investment forum reflected the strong interest from the business communities in both Malaysia and Japan towards seeing a reinvigoration of the bilateral trade relations and momentum between the nations.
This forum coincides with the signing of a memorandum of cooperation (MoC) between JETRO and the Malaysia External Trade Development Corporation (MATRADE) to further strengthen bilateral trade promotion and collaboration. This partnership was signed during the second leg of International Trade and Industry Minister Datuk Seri Mohamed Azmin Ali’s trade and investment mission to South Korea and Japan on Monday, 5 April 2021. (Source: The Malay Mail, 6 April 2021, https://www.malaymail.com/news/money/2021/04/06/matrade-japan-external-trade-organisation-sign-moc-to-strengthen-bilateral/1964171)
The opening remarks of YB Dato’ Seri Mohamed Azmin Ali, Senior Minister, Minister of International Trade and Industry can be viewed from the MITI website here:
MAJECA 