M'SIA TAKING RIGHT STEP IN GREEN TECHNOLOGY, SAYS GERMAN OFFICIAL

MUNICH, March 9 (Bernama) –- Malaysia is taking the right step by
encouraging the development of green industries to ensure sustainable
development, conserving the environment for future generations and building
industries of the future, said Volker U. Friedrich, a member of the Board of
Trustees of the Malaysia-Europe Forum (MEF).

The founder director of C3IT Software Solutions GmbH said Malaysia "is
unique among Asian countries."

"It is always ahead. It has recognised only too clearly that its
competitiveness in the world can be secured through deployment of green
technology. The country has a wealth of abundant resources to get there – the
land mass, the biodiversity, the rainforests, water power, natural gas and
biomass – and the commitment of its leadership," he added.

Friedrich said he agreed with Peter Chin, the Malaysian Minister
of Energy, Green Technology and Water, that what Malaysia needed now were
partners and green experts to take its Green Agenda forward.

Chin had led a delegation to speak at the Malaysia-Europe Forum’s Spring
Dialogue here last week.

"We in Munich are excited to hear of the government’s push towards
sustainability and the identification of green technology as a key
driver of future economic growth in Malaysia," Friedrich said.

Munich-based Monika Balga, a marketing professional, said she was
delighted to know of a Malaysian fund providing soft loans to companies that
supplied and used green technology as it would be a catalyst for more active
participation by the private sector in the application of green technology.

Germany is Malaysia’s largest trading partner among the 27 European Union
(EU)
countries, its second largest export destination and largest source of imports.

The Germans are also the third largest investors in Malaysia and over 300
German companies have offices in Malaysia.

In 2009, Malaysia’s total trade with Germany was valued at US$9.45 billion.
In
the global context, Germany is Malaysia’s ninth largest trading partner.

The Spring Dialogue also showcased Malaysian companies such as Top Glove,
the world’s leading manufacturer of rubber gloves, which exports more than 35
per cent of its products to Europe.

The company, which exports 33 billion gloves per annum, deploys green
technology in the development and application of its products, equipment and
systems.

Danny Ong, Vice-President of Top Glove, said the company not only produced
sustainable products but also conserved the natural environment to reduce the
negative impact of its production on human activities over the full commercial
cycle from the extraction of raw materials to final disposition.

"In short, rubber gloves are bio-degradable and environment-friendly
products, using raw materials or natural resources that are sustainable and
replenishable over time," he said.

"Green is clean," said Dieter Klein, CEO of P21, which focuses on
power for the 21st century.

He noted that German investments into Malaysia were concentrated mainly in
the electrical and electronics industries, chemical and chemical products and
machinery and equipment sectors.

He hoped to facilitate more collaborative opportunities in the green sector
with Malaysia, having now understood better the government's green policies.

Chin said he had admired Germany as a world leader in green technology as
Germans had demonstrated a high level of green consciousness in their culture,
products and services.

He spoke of the progress of the photovoltaic industry as an example of a
green
technology industry that had flourished in Malaysia. To date, Malaysia has
secured approximately three billion euros in foreign direct investment from
companies such as First Solar, Sun Power, Tokuyama and Q-Cells AG.

"The success of the photovoltaic industry demonstrates the feasibility
of investing in Malaysia. I call on German industrialists to take time to learn
about our green policies and to await the launch of our 10th Malaysia Plan to
get a better feel of the commitment of our country to a greener future – a
future which we can all share." said Chin.

Other eminent speakers at the Spring Dialogue were Musa Hitam, chairman
of Sime Darby Group, Jamilus Hussein, chairman of the Construction
Industry Development Board of Malaysia and Jalilah Baba, Director-General
of MIDA.

-- BERNAMA