The East Coast Economic Region Development Corporation (ECERDC) in collaboration with the Ministry of Economy with the support of MAJECA organised a seminar titled “Accelerating Net-Zero:Opportunities for Hard-to-Abate Industries in ECER” on 28 November 2024 at Double Tree by Hilton Kuala Lumpur.
The Guest of Honor was YB Tuan Mohd Rafizi bin Ramli, Minister of Economy.
MAJECA was represented by Tan Sri Rastam Mohd Isa, Senior Executive Committee Member of MAJECA, who was accompanied by Ms Ng Su Fun, Executive Secretary and Mr Samuel Loh, Programme Executive.
Rare Earth Elements (REE) are crucial for modern technology, supporting innovations like smartphones, electric vehicles, renewable energy and medical equipments amongst others. The demand for these metals is rapidly increasing due to technological advancements and the global push for sustainable energy. However, due to geopolitical circumstances, the disparity between rising demand and limited supply has now created a distinctive market opportunity for investors.
YBhg Dato’ Baidzawi Che Mat, Chief Executive Officer, ECERDC delivered the Opening Remarks.
Session 1, titled “Strategic Rare Earth Opportunities: Unlocking the Potential in the East Coast Economic Region of Malaysia” explored opportunities across the upstream, midstream, and downstream sectors, and insights into the Rare Earth Elements (REE) landscape.
Rare Earth Deposits and Industry Policies presented by Mr Yusari bin Basiran, Director of Economic Mineral, of the Department of Minerals and Geosciences Malaysia, JMG
JOGMEC’s Experience & Role in Rare Earth Development presented by Mr Yu Kawakami, Head of JOGMEC Jakarta
Success Story of Lynas’ Rare Earth Development Journey presented by Dato’ Sri Mashal Ahmad, Managing Director of Lynas Malaysia Sdn Bhd
Industry Insights: Toyota Tsusho’s Experience in the Midstream and Downstream Development of REE presented by MrYoshimura Kei, Toyota Tsusho Corporation
A keynote address was delivered by YB Tuan Mohd Rafizi bin Ramli, Minister of Economy.
YB Tuan Mohd Rafizi bin Ramli (left),Minister of Economy joined by Dato’ Baidzawi Che Mat (right), Chief Executive Officer, ECERDC held an Engagement Session, fielding questions from the floor.
Session 2, titled “Leading the Way in Decarbonization: Leveraging Carbon Capture Utilisation and Storage (CCUS) Solutions for a Sustainable Future,” focused on the growth and sustainability of hard-to-abate industries through advanced carbon capture and storage (CCS) technologies. It showcased Petronas’ innovative CCS efforts and how these solutions can be integrated into manufacturing & industrial processes. Participants learnt how CCS can support industry sustainability goals and facilitate decarbonization in the Eastern Corridor Economic Region (ECER) of Malaysia.
Implementing CCUS in Malaysia: A Critical Step Towards Emissions Reduction presented by Dato’ Nor Azmie Diron, Secretary General of the Ministry of Economy
Leading the Way in Decarbonization: PETRONAS’ Advanced Carbon Capture and Storage Solutions for a Sustainable Future presented by Ms Nora’in Md. Salleh, General Manager, PETRONAS
Panel Discussion titled “Accelerating Net-Zero: Opportunities for Hard-to-Abate Industries in ECER” was moderated by Dato’ Ragu Sampasivam (left-most), Chief Operating Officer, ECERDC.
The Panellists were (2nd left to right): Ms Nora’in Md. Salleh, General Manager, PETRONAS, Mr Hiroyuki Nishimoto, Managing Director, Kaneka (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd, Professor Yasushi Watanabe, Department of Earth Resource Science, Akita University, Tuan Syed Kamal Muzaffa Syed Hassan Sagaff, Director of Sustainability Division, MIDA.
レアアースとＣＣＵＳ誘致に本腰 東海岸回廊が日系官民とセミナー (Getting serious about attracting rare earths and CCUS East Coast Corridor holds seminar with Japanese government and private sector), NNA Asia, https://www.nna.jp/news/2733697
Photo Gallery
VIP table (centremost), from right-to-left: Mr Hiromitsu Narukama, Managing Director & CEO, Country Chairman, Mitsui & Co. (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd and Chairman of the Trade and Investment Committee, JACTIM, Dato’ Sri Mashal Ahmad, Managing Director of Lynas Malaysia Sdn Bhd, Dato’ Nor Azmie Diron, Secretary General of the Ministry of Economy, YB Tuan Mohd Rafizi bin Ramli, Minister of Economy, Dato’ Baidzawi Che Mat, Chief Executive Officer, ECERDC and, Tan Sri Rastam Mohd Isa, Chairman of FGV Holdings Berhad and Senior Executive Committee Member of MAJECA.
Tan Sri Rastam Mohd Isa (standing, left), Senior Executive Committee Member of MAJECA presenting the MAJECA 40th Anniversary Book to YB Tuan Mohd Rafizi bin Ramli (right)Minister of Economy.
The 50th AJBM was hosted by AJBM Thailand under the aegis of the Thai Chamber of Commerce & the Board of Trade of Thailand and co-hosted by the Japan Association of Corporate Executives (Keizai Doyukai) at Okura Prestige Bangkok, Thailand.
The ASEAN-Japan Business Meeting (AJBM) is a multilateral, private-led forum between Japan and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). The inaugural meeting was held in 1974 in Tokyo, Japan, on the initiative of Keizai Doyukai, one of the influential national business organizations in Japan.
Behind the creation of this forum was a strong belief among the Keizai Doyukai members of the time, that economic exchange on the private-sector level, supplementing official development aid, should play a key role to realize stability and development of the East-Asian countries. In comparison with other international conferences and forum, the AJBM is unique in providing an arena for private sector dialogue between Japan and ASEAN as a region.
The ASEAN – Japan Business Meeting (AJBM) marked its historic milestone as it celebrated its 50th Anniversary in 2024, serving as a testament to the enduring partnership and collaboration between ASEAN and Japan. Over five decades, the AJBM has played a key role in enhancing economic growth & ties between ASEAN and Japan.
The 50th ASEAN-Japan Business Meeting (AJBM) themed “Building Resilient Partnerships for Sustainable Futures” aimed to answer the question of ‘What could occur over the next 10 years to ASEAN, if no action is taken now?’. This theme and central question were discussed through the perspective of three focus industry streams & areas, namely: food security, mobility, and tourism, with each focusing on high-impact issues facing the upstream and downstream of each industry vertical.
These three focus issues reflected the priorities for sustainable development and economic resilience in ASEAN and Japan. Cognisant that addressing these issue would require collective action, innovative solutions and strategic partnerships, the AJBM saw a convergence of key opinion leaders and industry captains in these fields alongside public sector officials to discuss & exchange insights.
Opening Session
Mr Kalin Sarasin, Chairman of the 50th AJBM, Honorary Chairman of the Thai Chamber of Commerce and Board of Trade of Thailand delivered the Welcome Remarks.
Mr Yuji Hirako, Co-Chairperson, Japan-Asia Relations Committee, Keizai Doyukai and Senior Advisor, ANA Holdings Inc., delivered his remarks.
Mr Kanetsugu Mike, Vice Chairperson, Keizai Doyukai and Member of the Board of Directors, Chairman of MUFG delivered his remarks.
H.E. Mr Masato Otaka, Ambassador of Japan to Thailand delivered his remarks.
H.E. Mr Akanat Promphan, Minister of Industry of Thailand delivered the Keynote Speech titled “Strengthening ASEAN-Japan Cooperation for Economic Stability and Sustainability in the Digital Age”.
Dr Somkiat Tangkitvanich, President, Thailand Development Research Institute (TDRI) delivered a Presentation titled “Strategic Partnerships: Exploring ASEAN-Japan Relations in a Dynamic Global Context”.
Panel Discussion 1: Food Security
The Food Security panel discussed the need for action to prevent potential food shortages in ASEAN countries. Against the backdrop of evolving climate patterns and global supply chain disruptions, the panellists discussed the consequences of inaction, including increased food insecurity and malnutrition, and explored innovative strategies to promote sustainable agriculture and resilient supply chains.
(from left-to-right) Mr Salman Ghazali, Group Chief Strategy Officer, FGV Holdings Berhad & Executive Committee Member of MAJECA, Mr Ichiro Sakakura, President, Ajinomoto Thailand, Dr Poj Aramwattananont, President & CEO, SeaValue Public Company Limited, and Moderator, Mr Muhaymin Khan, Manager, YCP.
Panel Discussion 2: Tourism
The Tourism panel discussed the application and considerations of Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) principles to preserve the tourism value chain and ensure equitable wealth distribution. Discussants explored sustainability through environmentally friendly practices, social responsibility, and ethical governance. Additionally, the panel discussed strategies for ensuring economic benefits reach a broader population, such as promoting community-based tourism, supporting local businesses, and implementing fair wage policies with the aim to reduce inequalities and foster social cohesion.
(from left-to-right) Mr Joydeep Chakraborty, Chief Strategy Officer, Traveloka, Mr Shinya Kanda, President & CEO, ANA X, Mr Hiroyuki Kitagawa, President & CEO, JTB PTE Ltd., Mrs Suphajee Suthumpun, Group CEO, Dusit International and Moderator, Ms Fei Yong, Manager, YCP.
A fireside chat on Food Culture in Tourism between Mr Matthew John Knights (left), Chief Hospitality Group Officer, Asset World Corporation and Associate Professor Dr Jutamas Wisansing, PhD, Managing Director & Consultant, Perfect Link Consulting Group.
Panel Discussion 3: Mobility
The panellists on the Mobility panel discussed the challenge of air pollution and environmental degradation. Discussions revolved around overcoming barriers to mobility, leveraging digital technologies, and advancing sustainable transportation solutions by prioritizing clean and inclusive mobility options.
(from left-to-right) Mr Yew Heng Lim, Group Managing Director, Grab Holdings, Mr Prasanna Kumar Ganeshm, Executive Vice President, Toyota Motor Asia, Mr Chadchart Sittipunt, Governor of Bangkok and Moderator, Mr Nuttapan Meethong, Director, YCP.
Presentation of HR Platform by Keizai Doyukai and ERIA
The AJBM recognizes the importance of cooperation in the field of Human Resources, and Keizai Doyukai with the support Economic Research Institute for ASEAN and East Asia (ERIA) had put efforts into the creation of a framework for human capital cooperation. The progress of these efforts & framework was discussed.
(from left-to-right) Mr Yuji Hirako, Co-Chairperson, Japan-Asia Relations Committee, Keizai Doyukai, Mr Nobuhiro Aizawa, Dean and Managing Director, Economic Research Institute for ASEAN and East Asia (ERIA)’s School of Government, Mr Kazufumi Watanabe, Group CXO, Executive Vice President and Executive Officer, SOMPO Holdings, Inc. and Respondent, H.E. Mr. Masahiko Kiya, Ambassador of Japan to ASEAN.
Closing Session
Mr Seiji Imai, Co-Chairperson, Japan-Asia Relations Committee, Keizai Doyukai and Chairman, Member of the Board of Directors, Mizuho Financial Group delivered the Closing Remarks.
Photo Gallery
AJBM ASEAN Steering Committee members from Brunei, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore and Thailand.
Delegates from Malaysia & Members of MAJECA at the 50th AJBM (from left-to-right) Mr Muhd Hazlam Masri, Special Officer to the Group Chief Strategy Officer, FGV Holdings Berhad, Mr Hiro Chai, Mitsusho Sdn Bhd, Mr Salman Ghazali, Executive Committee Member of MAJECA & Group Chief Strategy Officer, FGV Holdings Berhad, Mr Sivavenayakam Velayutham, Executive Committee Member of MAJECA & Director – Partnership & Key Projects at Finexus Group, Ms Ng Su Fun, Executive Secretary, MAJECA and Mr Samuel Loh, Programme Executive, MAJECA.
(from left-to-right) Mr Samuel Loh, Programme Executive, MAJECA, Mr Seiji Imai, Co-Chairperson, Japan-Asia Relations Committee, Keizai Doyukai and Chairman, Member of the Board of Directors, Mizuho Financial Group, Mr Sivavenayakam Velayutham, Executive Committee Member of MAJECA & Director – Partnership & Key Projects at Finexus Group, Mr Yuji Hirako, Co-Chairperson, Japan-Asia Relations Committee, Keizai Doyukai, Ms Ng Su Fun, Executive Secretary, MAJECA and Mr Salman Ghazali, Executive Committee Member of MAJECA & Group Chief Strategy Officer, FGV Holdings Berhad.
White Paper
Following the conclusion of the 50th AJBM, AJBM Thailand, with the support of YCP Holdings (Global) Limited had prepared a White Paper focusing on food security, mobility, and tourism. This Paper will present key findings and outline proposed strategies to inspire policymakers and businesses to implement impactful reforms may that create lasting change.
The 50th AJBM White Paper aims to provide key insights & highlighted challenging issues faced by each industry, presenting roadmaps and frameworks that sustainable & resilient solutions via strategic, cross-sector collaboration throughout the region.
The reports include:
Food Security – Addressing vulnerabilities from climate risks and import reliance, this report highlights strategies to build resilient food systems through sustainable practices and local resource optimization
Mobility – With urbanization intensifying pollution and congestion, this paper explores solutions like electric vehicles and smart traffic systems to enhance urban mobility and reduce emissions
Tourism – As popular destinations face environmental strain, this report proposes collaborative approaches to promote alternative destinations and sustain regional tourism assets
Tan Sri Azman Hashim & the MAJECA Executive Committee hosted a farewell lunch for H.E. Takahashi Katsuhiko and Mr Hosomi Masashi, Economic Counsellor, Embassy of Japan, who will be completing their respective tour of duty in Malaysia by the end of October 2024.
The Luncheon provided a cordial setting to review and reflect upon MAJECA’s relationship with the Embassy of Japan. Tan Sri Azman Hashim thanked H.E. Takahashi Katsuhiko for the warm & excellent support and cooperation extended by His Excellency’s office in Kuala Lumpur, including the office of the Economic Counsellor.
One of the highlights was the opportunity for MAJECA to have an engaging & fruitful dialogue with the late Prime Minister of Japan, Shinzo Abe when he visited Malaysia in March 2022.
Over the course of the year 2024, MAJECA has proactively engaged with young entrepreneurs to bridge and expand Japan-Malaysia relations. H.E. Takahashi Katsuhiko thanked MAJECA for the close cooperation and opportunity to be the conduit to the Government of Japan to expand & deepen business & economic linkages during his tour of duty in Malaysia.
From left-to-right: Ms Ng Su Fun, Executive Secretary, MAJECA, Dato’ Taib Abdul Hamid, Vice-President, MAJECA, Tan Sri Rastam Mohd Isa, Executive Committee Member of MAJECA, Tan Sri Michael Yeoh, Executive Committee Member of MAJECA, Datuk Seri Mohamed Iqbal, Vice-President, MAJECA, Tan Sri Azman Hashim, President, MAJECA, H.E. Takahashi Katsuhiko, Ambassador of Japan to Malaysia, Mr Hosomi Masashi, Economic Counsellor, Embassy of Japan, Tan Sri Lodin bin Wok Kamaruddin, Vice-President, MAJECA, Mr Gary Tang, Hon. Secretary, MAJECA and Mr Isrami Ismail, Executive Committee Member of MAJECA.
(from left-to-right) H.E. Takahashi Katsuhiko, Ambassador of Japan to Malaysia, Tan Sri Azman Hashim, President, MAJECA, and Mr Hosomi Masashi, Economic Counsellor, Embassy of Japan
(from left-to-right) Datuk Seri Mohamed Iqbal, Vice-President, MAJECA, H.E. Takahashi Katsuhiko, Ambassador of Japan to Malaysia, and Tan Sri Azman Hashim, President, MAJECA
MAJECA extends its warmest greetings and best wishes to H.E. Takahashi Katsuhiko and Mr Hosomi Masashi on their successful tour of duty in Malaysia.
The Ministry of Investment, Trade and Industry (MITI) convened a Budget 2025 MITI Dialogue Session with Industry on 6 August 2024 at Perdana Hall, Menara MITI, Kuala Lumpur.
Chaired by YB Senator Datuk Seri Utama Tengku Zafrul Abdul Aziz (pic below, 2nd from right), Minister of Investment, Trade and Industry. In attendance were YBhg Dato’ Hairil Yahri Yaacob (pic below, 2nd from left), Secretary General and the Deputy Secretary Generals, namely, YBhg Datuk Bahria Mohd Tamil (pic below, left) (Investment & Management) and YBrs Pn Mastura Ahmad Mustafa (pic below, right) (Trade). MITI agencies, namely, MIDA and MATRADE were in attendance together with relevant Government ministries & agencies, including the Ministry of Finance (MOF).
The 41st edition of the MAJECA – JAMECA Joint Conference was held on 1st August 2024 at Hilton Kuala Lumpur.
This edition of the Joint Conference, hosted by MAJECA and co-hosted by Japan-Malaysia Economic Association (JAMECA) was themed ‘Empowering Innovation, Driving Co-Creation’. The 41st Joint Conference programme was formulated to stimulate discussions on how the technological innovations have given birth to new sectors / areas of business that have responded to the tech & geopolitical challenges, yet remaining efficient, green, sustainable and profitable activities.
This conference saw the attendance of over 180 participants. The delegation from JAMECA comprised of Chief Executives, Managing Directors and Corporate Leaders of Japanese corporations from Japan, supported by their respective offices in Malaysia and across ASEAN was led by its President, Mr Tsuyoshi Nagano who is also the Chairman of Tokio Marine Holdings, Inc. The delegation from MAJECA was led by its President, Tan Sri Azman Hashim, who is also Emeritus Chairman of AmBank Group. The MAJECA delegation comprised of Chief Executives, Managing Directors and Corporate Leaders of Malaysian companies including a strong representation from the Japan Graduates’ Association of Malaysia (JAGAM) led by Mr Goh Peng Ooi, Honorary Patron of JAGAM & Hon. Treasurer of MAJECA.
The Joint Conference was graced by:
H.E. Katsuhiko Takahashi, Ambassador of Japan to Malaysia,
YB Senator Datuk Seri Amir Hamzah Azizan, Minister of Finance II, and
Datuk Hanafi Sakri, Deputy Secretary General (Industry), Ministry of Investment, Trade and Industry (MITI) Malaysia.
The Programme of the 41st MAJECA-JAMECA Joint Conference was as follows:
Opening Ceremony
The Joint Conference began with Opening Remarks from the respective Presidents of MAJECA and JAMECA.
Tan Sri Azman Hashim President of Malaysia-Japan Economic Association (MAJECA) and Chairman of the 41st MAJECA Joint Conference delivered his opening remarks.
Mr Tsuyoshi Nagano President of Japan-Malaysia Economic Association (JAMECA) and Co-Chairman of the 41st MAJECA Joint Conference delivered his opening remarks.
Following on, the Messages from the Prime Minister of Japan and Malaysia were read.
H.E. Katsuhiko Takahashi Ambassador of Japan to Malaysia delivered his greetings to participants of the Joint Conference and read the congratulatory message by H.E. Kishida Fumio, the Prime Minister of Japan.
Datuk Hanafi Sakri Deputy Secretary General (Industry), Ministry of Investment, Trade and Industry (MITI) Malaysia read the congratulatory message by YAB Dato’ Seri Anwar bin Ibrahim, Prime Minister of Malaysia.
A group photo of the Opening Ceremony VIPs (from left to right): Mr Kazuo Nishitani, Secretary-General, JAMECA, Mr Kuniharu Nakamura, Vice-President, JAMECA, H.E. Katsuhiko Takahashi, Ambassador of Japan to Malaysia, Mr Tsuyoshi Nagano, President, JAMECA, Tan Sri Azman Hashim, President, MAJECA, Datuk Hanafi Sakri, Deputy Secretary General (Industry), Ministry of Investment, Trade and Industry (MITI) Malaysia, Datuk Seri Mohamed Iqbal, Vice-President, MAJECA, and Mr Goh Peng Ooi, Hon. Treasurer of MAJECA & Honorary Patron, JAGAM
Plenary Session 1 ASEAN-Japan Relations 50 Years On: Trends & Directions for Malaysia-Japan Relations
Session Moderator: Tan Sri Rastam Mohd Isa Chairman, FGV Holdings Berhad, Executive Committee Member of MAJECA, former Secretary-General of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Malaysia & former Chairman of Institute of Strategic and International Studies (ISIS) Malaysia
(from left-to-right) Tan Sri Michael Yeoh, President, KSI Strategic Institute for Asia Pacific & Executive Committee Member of MAJECA, Mr Koichi Takano, Managing Director, Japan External Trade Organisation (JETRO) Kuala Lumpur, Tan Sri Rastam Mohd Isa, Session Moderator, Tan Sri Yong Poh Kon, Chairman, Royal Selangor International Sdn Bhd and Mr Takero Sawamura, President, Japanese Chamber of Trade & Industry, Malaysia (JACTIM).
Plenary Session 2
Datuk Haji (Datu) Rosmadi Datu Sulai Chief Coordinating Officer, Secretariat of Sabah Maju Jaya, Sabah State Government delivered a presentation titled “Sabah Blue Economy”.
Dr Firdausi Suffian Chief Executive Officer, Invest Sabah Berhad delivered a presentation titled “Navigating Investment Opportunity in Sabah for Robust Growth”.
Address by Minister of Finance II
Datuk Seri Mohamed Iqbal Vice-President, MAJECA welcomed and introduced the Minister of Finance II.
YB Senator Datuk Seri Amir Hamzah Azizan Minister of Finance II delivered his Address to participants of the 41st MAJECA-JAMECA Joint Conference.
A group photo of the MAJECA Executive Committee Members with the Minister of Finance II (from left-to-right) Mr Sivavenayakam Velayutham, Mr Yeonhang Chuah, Tan Sri Michael Yeoh, Dato’ Md Taib Abdul Hamid, Vice-President, Tan Sri Azman Hashim, President, YB Senator Datuk Seri Amir Hamzah Azizan, Minister of Finance II, Datuk Seri Mohamed Iqbal, Vice-President, Tan Sri Rastam Mohd Isa, Tan Sri Dato’ Seri Lodin bin Wok Kamaruddin, Vice-President, Mr Goh Peng Ooi, Hon. Treasurer, Datuk Jason Tai Hee, Vice-President, and Mr Isrami Ismail.
(from left-to-right) Mr Kazuo Nishitani, Secretary General, JAMECA, H.E. Katsuhiko Takahashi, Ambassador of Japan to Malaysia, Mr Tsuyoshi Nagano, President, JAMECA, YB Senator Datuk Seri Amir Hamzah Azizan, Minister of Finance II, Mr Kuniharu Nakamura, Vice-President, JAMECA.
Luncheon Hosted by Silverlake Axis Sdn Bhd
VVIP Table (from left, clockwise) Tan Sri Rastam Mohd Isa, Chairman, FGV Holdings Berhad & Executive Committee Member of MAJECA, Mr Goh Peng Ooi, Group Executive Chairman, Silverlake Axis Group, Hon. Treasurer, MAJECA & Honorary Patron, JAGAM, H.E. Katsuhiko Takahashi, Ambassador of Japan to Malaysia, Mr Tsuyoshi Nagano, President, JAMECA, YB Senator Datuk Seri Amir Hamzah Azizan, Minister of Finance II, Tan Sri Azman Hashim, President, MAJECA, Mr Kuniharu Nakamura, Vice-President, JAMECA, Datuk Haji (Datu) Rosmadi Datu Sulai,Chief Coordinating Officer, Secretariat of Sabah Maju Jaya, Sabah State Government, Datuk Jason Tai Hee, Vice-President, MAJECA and Datuk Seri Mohamed Iqbal, Vice-President, MAJECA.
Special Session
Session Moderator: Datuk Seri Mohamed Iqbal, Vice-President, MAJECA
(from left-to-right) Datuk Seri Mohamed Iqbal, Session Moderator, Mr Goh Peng Ooi, Honorary Patron of the Japan Graduates’ Association of Malaysia & Hon. Treasurer of MAJECA, Ir Chin Kar Keong, Managing Director, Perunding Atur Trafik Sdn Bhd and Mr Desmond Seok, Managing Director, Green Planet Midori Sdn Bhd.
Plenary Session 3 Enhancing Entrepreneur Success through Co-Creation
Session Moderator: Mdm Shafinaz Salim, Head, Technology Hub Development Division, Cyberview Sdn Bhd
(from left-to-right) Mdm Shafinaz Salim, Session Moderator, Mr Aiemaan Mohd Noor, Director, Country Manager, NEOREKA Asia Sdn Bhd, Mr Goh Peng Ooi, Group Executive Chairman, Silverlake Axis Group, Mr Masaaki Hamada, Country Director, Asuene APAC Pte. Ltd., Ms Fumiko Inada, Co-Founder & CEO, Bee Informatica
Plenary Session 4 Preparedness for a Resilient and Sustainable Supply Chain
Session Moderator: Mr Raja Hamzah Abidin Raja Nong Chik, Non-Executive Director, Talent Corporation Malaysia Berhad, Founding Partner, RHL Ventures Sdn Bhd & Executive Committee Member of MAJECA
(from left-to-right) Mr Raja Hamzah, Session Moderator, Ir Ts Dr Gideon Tan Xiang Yee, Head of Group Transformation Division, FGV Holdings Berhad, Mr Dennis Harun Wong, Head of Strategy & Marketing, SEDC Energy, Mr Nao Nitta, Executive Officer Head of Energy Company, Euglena Co., Ltd and Mr Takato Senoo, Chief Operating Officer, Green Carbon Inc.
Closing Ceremony
Tan Sri Azman Hashim President, MAJECA and Chairman of the 41st MAJECA Joint Conference delivered the Closing Remarks.
Mr Kuniharu Nakamura Vice-President, JAMECA delivered the Closing Remarks and announced the 42nd JAMECA-MAJECA Joint Conference in Japan in 2025.
Exchange of Gifts
Mr Tsuyoshi Nagano (left), President of JAMECA exchanging gifts with Tan Sri Azman Hashim (right), President of MAJECA.
Mr Kuniharu Nakamura (left), Vice-President of JAMECA exchanging gifts with Datuk Seri Mohamed Iqbal (right), Vice-President of MAJECA.
(from left-to-right) Mr Kazuo Nishitani, Secretary General, JAMECA, Mr Kuniharu Nakamura, Vice-President, Mr Tsuyoshi Nagano, President, JAMECA, Tan Sri Azman Hashim, President, MAJECA and Datuk Seri Mohamed Iqbal, Vice-President, MAJECA.
Dinner
Tan Sri Azman Hashim President, MAJECA delivered the Welcome Remarks for the Dinner and hosted the entertainment.
Mr Tsuyoshi Nagano President, JAMECA delivered the Thank You Speech at the end of the Dinner.
Photo Gallery
VIP Holding Room with the Minister of Finance II (from left-to-right) Mr Kuniharu Nakamura, Vice-President, JAMECA, Tan Sri Azman Hashim, President, MAJECA, Mr Tsuyoshi Nagano, President, JAMECA, YB Senator Datuk Seri Amir Hamzah Azizan, Minister of Finance II, H.E. Katsuhiko Takahashi, Ambassador of Japan to Malaysia and Datuk Seri Mohamed Iqbal, Vice-President, MAJECA.
VIP Holding Room (from left-to-right) MAJECA Executive Committee Members: Tan Sri Michael Yeoh, Mr Yeonhang Chuah & Tan Sri Rastam Mohd Isa, Datuk Seri Mohamed Iqbal, Vice-President, MAJECA, Mr Kuniharu Nakamura, Vice-President, JAMECA, Tan Sri Azman Hashim, President, MAJECA, Datuk Hanafi Sakri, Deputy Secretary General (Industry), Ministry of Investment, Trade and Industry (MITI) Malaysia, Mr Tsuyoshi Nagano, President, JAMECA, H.E. Katsuhiko Takahashi, Ambassador of Japan to Malaysia, Tan Sri Dato’ Seri Lodin bin Wok Kamaruddin, Vice-President, Mr Goh Peng Ooi, Hon. Treasurer and Dato’ Md Taib Abdul Hamid, Vice-President.
The takeaways from the 41st MAJECA – JAMECA Joint Conference include: • highlighting exciting developments & insights into the green, blue, hydrogen and digital economies. These frontiers present interesting opportunities across its respective value chains. Opportunities for Malaysia and Japan to co-create and innovate in this space can move our bilateral business relations to a higher level,
• highlighting younger entrepreneurs & businesses in new industry areas & the development & progress of the startup ecosystem, and the roles these entrepreneurs play in driving innovation and co-creation, alongside their transformative solutions that can balance the Environmental, Social and Governance goals for the good of nature, citizens and businesses, and
• acknowledged the Malaysian alumni who have graduated from Japanese tertiary institutions, both in the private sector as well as in the Government sector. This is an outstanding outcome of the Look East Policy of our Malaysian Government. To date there are alumni graduates who have gone on to forge valuable business ties in and with Japan. MAJECA looks to them to continue to form more bridges for Malaysia – Japan social, cultural and business ties to flourish, widen & deepen going forward.
The 41st edition of the MAJECA – JAMECA Joint Conference was made possible through the extensive efforts and cooperation from our co-host, Japan – Malaysia Economic Association (JAMECA), the role-players, participants and sponsors namely:
Silverlake Axis Sdn Bhd
FGV Holdings Bhd
the AmBank Group
Sabah Maju Jaya Secretariat, Chief Minister Department
Cyberview Sdn Bhd
Pan Sarawak Holdings Bhd
YTL Corporation Bhd
Dato’ Md Taib Abdul Hamid
IJM Corporation Bhd
Berjaya Corporation Bhd
Asuene APAC Co., Ltd.
Sterling Equity Sdn Bhd
Silverlake Axis Sdn Bhd
Silverlake Axis creates technologies to enable the Digital Economy. What sets us apart is the foundation for our computing principles, which are grounded on mathematical models. Through the years, Silverlake Axis has evolved using mathematics to refine, expand and invent technologies, broadening into new industries and markets at the same time.
Founded in 1989, Silverlake Axis has built an impeccable track record of successful core banking implementations. After years of successes across the region, Silverlake Axis was listed on Singapore’s Stock Exchange (SGX) SESDAQ in 2003 and moved up to SGX Mainboard in 2011.
FGV Holdings Berhad
FGV Holdings Berhad (FGV) is a leading global agribusiness company based in Malaysia and is one of the largest producers of Crude Palm Oil (CPO) in the world. FGV’s operations span across 7 countries in Asia, Middle East, North America and Europe are focused on six main sectors namely Plantation, Oil and Fats, Sugar, Consumer Products, Logistics & Support and Integrated Farming.
As the Group’s core business, the Plantation Sector has an integrated palm value chain for upstream, processing and downstream activities. FGV also owns one of the largest vegetable oil tank & storage facilities in the world, and is a leading producer of refined sugar in Malaysia.
FGV embarked on aggressive integrated farming activities with business components of cash crops, paddy and rice, animal nutrition & protein, livestock and dairy farms. The Group is also a well-known FMCG player in the Malaysia with various consumer food product brands such as SAJI, ADELA GOLD, SERI PELANGI, GULA PRAI, LADANG’57 and BRIGHT COW.
AmBank Group
As one of Malaysia’s leading financial services groups, AmBank Group has 49 years of expertise supporting Malaysia’s economic development. With over 3 million customers, the Group offers comprehensive services on wholesale banking, business banking, retail banking, investment banking, Islamic banking, stock broking, futures broking, investment advisory, and asset management services. Additionally, the Group also covers unit trusts, real estate investment trusts, general insurance, life insurance, and family takaful.
Newspaper Articles
The 41st MAJECA – JAMECA Joint Conference has been covered in the following:
To complement the proceedings of the 41st MAJECA-JAMECA Joint Conference, MAJECA organised a Pre-Joint Conference Programme in Cyberjaya on 31 July 2024 at Finexus Towers Cyberjaya to avail to the visiting Japanese delegation the startup ecosystems of both Malaysia and Japan, and the opportunities in the digital economy of Cyberjaya and Malaysia.
Six Malaysian and Japanese startup companies participated in this programme in Cyberjaya. The startup companies’ presentations highlighted the existing vibrant ecosystem thriving and growing both in Malaysia and Japan. The six companies related how they addressed the industry’s pain points, offered tech-based solutions that were cost effective and enabled customisation so that these solutions could also be applied effectively across multiple sectors. It is MAJECA and JAMECA’s intention to grow this platform further and encourage more activity to co-create and collaborate in deeper and diverse ways.
MAJECA appreciates and records its appreciation to all the startup companies, facilitators, MDEC, Cyberview and especially Finexus Group who have contributed to making this event a success.
Group photo of the participants.
The programme was as follows:
Mr Sean Ng, Manager, Technical Engineering, Finexus Group delivered the Welcome Remarks.
Datuk Seri Mohamed Iqbal, Vice-President, MAJECA delivered the Opening Remarks.
Ms Anna Yamauchi, Lumirous Sdn Bhd, Mr Sivavenayakam Velayutham, Finexus Group, Executive Committee Member of MAJECA and Session Moderator, Datuk Seri Mohamed Iqbal, Vice-President, MAJECA, Mr Top Lim, FinHero, Ms Ami Sugiyama, Secai Marche and Mr Shusaku Hayakawa, Secai Marche.
Mr Keitaro Asaba, Tenchijin, Mr Diego Rojas, ShieldBase AI, Datuk Seri Mohamed Iqbal, Vice-President, MAJECA, Mr Ahmad Zaim Hussin, Director, Leave A Nest Malaysia Sdn Bhd, Mr Ryosuke Fujihara, Actbe SEA.
Ir Wan Murdani Wan Mohamad, Vice President, Digital Industry Acceleration, Malaysian Digital Economy Corporation (MDEC) delivered his presentation.
Mr Auni Alias, Head, Strategic Partnerships & Relations, Business Venture and Partnership Division, Cyberview Sdn Bhd delivered an introduction & overview of Cyberjaya.
Mr Shinichiro Shimizu, Member of JAMECA & Vice Chairperson, Japan Airlines Co., Ltd delivered the Closing Remarks.
Appreciation:
Mr Shinichiro Shimizu (pix left), Member of JAMECA & Mr Sivavenayakam Velayutham (pix right), Executive Committee Member of MAJECA representing the respective Associations presented a token of appreciation to:
Mr Sean Ng, Manager, Technical Engineering, Finexus Group
Ir Wan Murdani Wan Mohamad, Vice President, Digital Industry Acceleration, Malaysian Digital Economy Corporation (MDEC)
Mr Auni Alias, Head, Strategic Partnerships & Relations, Business Venture and Partnership Division, Cyberview Sdn Bhd
Through the initiative of Mr Gary Tang, Hon. Secretary and Mr Goh Peng Ooi, Hon. Treasurer, a Dinner was hosted by Mr Goh Peng Ooi on 15 July 2024.
This Dinner was organised as a formal introduction of the new lineup of Office Bearers of MAJECA for the term 2024-2025. Leading the Japanese attendees were H.E. Ambassador Katsuhiko Takahashi, Mr Takero Sawamura, President of JACTIM, Mr Dai Hoshiai, President of JCKL, Mr Koichi Takano, Managing Director of JETRO Kuala Lumpur, CEOs of Japanese Sogosha, and including Mizuho, JAL and ANA.
MAJECA’s representatives at the Dinner were Tan Sri Azman Hashim, President, Datuk Seri Mohamed Iqbal, Vice-President, Datuk Jason Tai Hee, Vice-President, Mr Gary Tang, Hon. Secretary, Mr Goh Peng Ooi, Hon. Treasurer, Mr Raja Hamzah, Executive Committee Member, Ms Ng Su Fun, Executive Secretary and Mr Samuel Loh, Programme Executive. Also in attendance were senior leaders of the Japan Graduates’ Association of Malaysia (JAGAM).
Tan Sri Azman Hashim’s 85th Birthday was also celebrated at the Dinner.
Mr Gary Tang (2nd from left, standing), Hon. Secretary, MAJECA facilitated the introductions and the Dinner proceedings.
Tan Sri Azman Hashim, President, MAJECA delivered his Opening Remarks.
Datuk Seri Mohamed Iqbal, Vice-President, MAJECA delivered his remarks.
(from left-to-right) Mr Raja Hamzah, Executive Committee Member, Datuk Jason Tai Hee, Vice-President, MAJECA, Datuk Seri Mohamed Iqbal, Vice-President, Tan Sri Azman Hashim, President, Mr Goh Peng Ooi, Hon. Treasurer and Mr Hiromitsu Narukama, Managing Director & CEO, Mitsui & Co. (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd.
H.E. Katsuhiko Takahashi (pic above), Ambassador of Japan to Malaysia made a toast (pic below) to begin the Dinner.
Photo Gallery:
MAJECA places on record its appreciation to Mr Goh Peng Ooi, Hon. Treasurer for hosting the Dinner and to Mr Gary Tang, Hon. Secretary for facilitating the networking & proceedings.
The 13th Asian Business Summit (ABS) was hosted by KEIDANREN from 4 – 5 July 2024 at Keidanren Kaikan, Tokyo, Japan with 13 Asian economic organisations from countries in Asia in attendance.
Photo by Keidanren: Leaders of the respective delegations at the Asian Business Summit with Prime Minister Fumio Kishida (7th from left).
Malaysia was represented by Datuk Seri Mohamed Iqbal (pic below, left), Vice-President, MAJECA. Accompanying him was Mr Gary Tang (pic below, right), Hon. Secretary, MAJECA and Mr Goh Peng Ooi (pic below, centre), Hon. Treasurer, MAJECA.
“On July 5, 2024, 13 Asian Economic Organizations gathered at Keidanren for the 13th Asian Business Summit.
Asia’s economic growth rate is projected to be 4.5% in 2024, making the Region a growth center of the world. Meanwhile, the world is becoming increasingly disintegrated. It is estimated that 2.5% to 7% of the world GDP could be lost if the global division of labor and technology transfers stagnate due to the global fragmentation, inevitably affecting Asia. In addition, several Asian countries are facing challenges such as aging and declining populations. In order for Asian countries and regions to achieve sustained growth, public and private sectors must collaborate to bring about innovation, promote free and fair trade/investment and develop a pathway for achieving carbon neutrality.
Based on this common understanding, we, the Business Community of Asia, reached a consensus on the following points.
1. Innovation
Innovation is the key to addressing our goals such as strengthening industrial competitiveness, adapting to aging population, and enhancing our wellbeing. From the viewpoint of bring about innovation, the Business Community of Asia focused on the followings.
(1) Building a Startup Ecosystem
Startups are the source of innovation. It is important to create a platform for business matching between startups and large companies so that startups can benefit from the financial resources and management know-how of large companies and thereby maximize their ingenuity. The governments of each economy should create a business-friendly environment for startups through measures such as relaxation of investment regulations, facilitation of administrative procedures, providing tax incentives, and offering guarantees for investments and loans.
(2) Movement of Natural Persons
Free movement of highly skilled migrants across borders is prerequisite for innovation. Governments of each economy should consider easing immigration and residency requirements for highly skilled migrants, promoting mutual recognition of licenses and certifications, and concluding social security agreements. In addition, in order to facilitate short-term mobility for business visitors, consideration should be given to extending APEC Business Travel Card (ABTC) coverage to non-APEC members.
2. Free and Fair Trade/Investment
The Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) Agreement entered into force in 2022, and trade volume of the current 15 Members accounts for 29% of the global total. It goes without saying that the door must be kept open to future Member countries and regions so that the coverage of the Agreement could be expanded. To ensure that RCEP plays a pivotal role in trade and investment liberalization, supply chain openness and resilience, and resource/energy security, implementation of the agreement, including the prohibition of import/export restrictions, the prohibition of performance requirements, free cross-border data flow, and prohibition of data localization, must first be monitored. Also, RCEP Members should start discussing tariff elimination of goods currently excluded from trade liberalization, and acceleration of tariff elimination schedule for goods where staging category has been established.
Under the consensus of current Members, the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) should also be open to new Members, provided that the candidates are able to implement the high-level market access and rules under the Agreement, and that they have the sufficient track record of adherence to the existing rules.
The role of the WTO’s multilateral scheme remains important in achieving free trade on a global scale, and the Business Community of Asia calls for its reform and restoration. First, the dispute settlement mechanism, the last resort for rule enforcement, needs to be restored immediately. In addition, it is important to make substantive progress in the plurilateral efforts such as the Disciplines on E-commerce, and Investment Facilitation Agreement and to promote discussions on the formulation of rules to ensure the fair competition.
Governments of each economy should keep markets open and strengthen supply chain cooperation.
3. Carbon Neutrality
In order to achieve carbon neutrality on a global scale, it is essential to decarbonize Asia, which accounts for nearly half of the world’s CO2 emissions. Asia relies heavily on thermal power generation for much of its electricity, as there are limitations to scaling up in renewable energy due to unfavorable weather conditions and other restrictions, it is necessary to realize innovations, such as the development of innovative industrial processes, the use of new fuels such as hydrogen, ammonia, and synthetic fuels, and the promotion of Carbon dioxide Capture, Utilization, and Storage (CCUS) technologies, while also promoting clean energy. These innovations will unleash Asia’s economic growth while providing a stable and affordable energy supply that meets the drastic increase in electricity demand associated with the progress of electrification and the dissemination of AI. During the transition period, it is essential to promote efforts based on various pathways that take into account the circumstances of each country in cooperation, including the use of LNG as a transition fuel and the decarbonization of thermal power through co-firing of ammonia and hydrogen.
The Asian Zero Emissions Community (AZEC) concept is considered useful as a framework for such cooperation. It is also important to reduce tariffs on environmental goods and eliminate investment barriers on green infrastructure through EPAs/FTAs such as RCEP.
Furthermore, a platform for sharing environmental data could be established in each sector to ensure traceability of emissions throughout the global supply chains. Interoperability among other platforms, promotion of international standard-setting, and mutual recognition are essential on a global scale.
In addition, promoting efforts to achieve a circular economy is important to contribute to carbon neutrality.
4. Digital Transformation
Utilization of data is a prerequisite for realizing innovation, free trade/investment, and a carbon-neutral society. In order to create new added value through data analysis using generative AI, the first step is to rectify the uneven distribution of data and the resulting “digital deficit”. Promotion of Data Free Flow with Trust (DFFT) is essential in this regard. Not only should the customs duties moratorium on electronic transmissions be made permanent, but also globally interoperable rules or cross-border data flow are required in this regard. In addition, as cyber threats increase, Asia should promote capacity building, etc.
We, the Business Community of Asia, will continue to make maximum use of the Asian Business Summit to further strengthen coordination and cooperation among the economic organizations of each country and region, and call on each government to make concerted efforts to realize a more prosperous, vibrant, and attractive Asia.“
Finexus Group in partnership with Malaysia Digital Economic Corporation (MDEC), Baker Tilly, the Malaysia-South-South Association (MASSA) and MAJECA organized a sharing session on E-Invoicing Implementation and Solutions on 12 June 2024 at Finexus Campus.
The National E-Invoicing Initiative (NEI) aims to promote interoperable E-Invoicing by digitalizing the exchange of invoices among businesses. This facilitates the transmission of e-invoices between different accounting software and Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems in a seamless manner.
The Sharing Session was organised to provide a platform for members and participants, in particular C-suite executives, business manager and personnel impacted by the e-invoicing implementation to know more about the National E-Invoicing Initiative, gain an overview on the business impact and discover potential solutions to meet Income Tax (LHDN) requirements.
YBhg Datuk Seri Mohamed Iqbal, Vice-President of MAJECA delivered the Opening Remarks.
Group photo of the role-players (from left-to-right): Pn Yaszrina Mohamad Yassin, Head, e-Invoicing Tech and Standardisation, Digital Transformation Division, MDEC, Mr Leong Chea Hooi, Head of Operations, Finexus Group, Mr Marcus Tan, Executive Director, Tax, Baker Tilly Malaysia, YBhg Datuk Seri Mohamed Iqbal, Vice-President, MAJECA, YBhg Datuk Merlyn Kasimir, Hon. Assistant Secretary, MASSA, Mr Sivavenayakam Velayutham, Executive Committee Member of MAJECA, Mr Sean Ng Kuo Sean, Manager, Technical Engineering, Finexus Group.
The programme was as follows:
The Sharing Session began with Opening Remarks delivered by YBhg Datuk Seri Mohamed Iqbal (pic below), Vice-President, MAJECA.
Pn Yaszrina Mohamad Yassin, Head, e-Invoicing Tech and Standardisation, Digital Transformation Division, MDEC delivered a presentation titled “e-Invoicing for Business Digitalisation”.
Mr Marcus Tan, Executive Director, Tax, Baker Tilly Malaysia delivered his presentation titled “e-Invoicing for Businesses: Key Insights & Tax Impact”.
Mr Leong Chea Hooi, Head of Operations, Finexus Group presented the theme of “Taxman Compliance Simplified!”.
A Q&A session was held, followed by Closing Remarks delivered by YBhg Datuk Merlyn Kasimir (pic below), Hon. Assistant Secretary, MASSA.
Photo Gallery
(from left-to-right) Mr Sivavenayakam Velayutham, Executive Committee Member of MAJECA, Mr Clement Loh, Group CEO, Finexus Group, YBhg Datuk Merlyn Kasimir, Hon. Assistant Secretary, MASSA and Ms Ng Su Fun, Executive Secretary, MAJECA.
MAJECA together with the Malaysia South-South Association (MASSA) organised a visit to the Selangor Human Resource Development Centre (SHRDC) in conjunction with SHRDC’s Malaysian Smart Factory 4.0 Discovery Day on 11 June 2024.
Ms Ng Su Fun, Executive Secretary, MAJECA delivered the Welcome Remarks.
The Malaysian Smart Factory (MSF) 4.0 is an emerging technology centre under SHRDC that provides competency-based smart factory training programs in the areas of industrial and Data Automation, Data Analytics, and Artificial Intelligence.
Smart Factory takes existing manufacturing practices to Industry 4.0 standards that incorporates highly agile, efficient, and automated production lines integrated into a smart logistics and service network. Malaysian Smart Factory (MSF) 4.0 at SHRDC provides hands-on experience, training, technology, and talent development for Industry 4.0 and Smart Factory competencies.
Key takeaways:
Smart Factory Technology Demonstration: Participants saw cutting-edge automation and IoT innovations that can enhance manufacturing processes.
Practical and Cost-Effective Digital Transformation: Participants were given an insight into actionable and affordable strategies for digital upgrades and heard about real success stories from SMEs in various industry sectors.
Generative AI Applications: Participants also learnt about the use of creative power of generative AI and its impact on design, prototyping, and customer experiences.
The programme was as follows:
Ms Ng Su Fun, Executive Secretary, MAJECA delivered the Welcome Remarks.
Ts. Dr. Chua Wen-Shyan, Certified COSIRI Assessor (CCA), Head of Malaysian Smart Factory 4.0, SHRDC delivered a presentation on a practical and cost-effective digital transformation.
Following the presentation, the participants were brought to visit the Malaysian Smart Factory 4.0 Centre and Lab to see a demonstration of an application of smart factory technologies & solutions.
The visit concluded with a Group Photo of the participants:
MAJECA 